And We Lean In
by TheOneTwoPoint
Summary: <html><head></head>AU  Takes place in the 1940's : Nathan Scott's life changes after he witnesses something he shouldn't.  Haley James's life changes after tragedy strikes.  Their lives change again once they come together.</html>
1. I Don't Want to Be Him

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Notes:** Well, this happened sooner than I planned. For those of you who read _Your Hand in Mine, _thank you! I'm glad you're checking out this new story. will only allow fifteen uploads for a period of sixty days. Because I was updated _Your Hand in Mine_ so frequently as it ended, it's going to be a while before I can add a lot of chapters of this. So, it could possibly be two weeks before I get another chapter up. I'm going to try and update when time allows me.

This story begins in 1939 and will carry into the 1940's. I'm going to try to throw in pop culture references from that time period, as well as some of the slang from that period, so just go with me on that. Part of this will be a mystery, but the overall subject is the Nathan and Haley romance. So, enjoy!

In the 1930's and 40's, baseball was more popular than basketball. So, Nathan's game is now baseball.

This story is named after a song by Trespassers William.

* * *

><p><strong>Spring 1939<strong>

CRACK! A light breeze came through the park, rustling the leaves and spreading the scent of flowers among the crowd. Spring in Tree Hill, North Carolina was always beautiful. The flowers were in bloom, the grass and the trees were green, the weather was warm – but not too warm, and baseball season had begun. A crowd of students and adults were gathered on the baseball field of Tree Hill High as they played their rivals, Bear Creek. It was the semi-finals. The team that won would be advancing to the championships. Everything was on the line and all of Tree Hill came out to see it. All but one.

Nathan had looked for him in the crowd, but couldn't see him. He could tell he wasn't there because he couldn't hear him. Dan Scott could be heard at every game. Even when Nathan was playing well, even when he was at his best, Dan Scott had some criticism for his son. He was always in the front, just behind the dugout. He was often standing. He was almost always shouting. If he felt Nathan could have struck out a certain player, or if Nathan didn't hit the ball on a pitch Dan felt he could have easily hit, Dan could be heard. He wasn't the silent type.

The fact that Dan wasn't there had Nathan concerned. His dad never missed a game. Dan Scott was a baseball legend on Tree Hill. Had he not injured his arm, he could have certainly gone to the major leagues. There were rumors that several teams had been interested in him, especially the Brooklyn Dodgers. Now he was a prominent businessman in Tree Hill. He started with his own car dealership, financed by his in-laws. After the success of that, he opened a nightclub. Dan's was the only nightclub in town. When Nathan was old enough to understand the concept of a nightclub, he had laughed at the fact that his dad had named the club after himself.

Things changed drastically when Dan got the idea to run for mayor. He won in a landslide victory. Now, nothing happened in Tree Hill without Dan Scott's knowledge. He wasn't just the mayor; he was king. As his son, Nathan had everything he wanted. Anything and everything was at his fingertips.

Nathan had inherited both his father's love for baseball and his talent for it. Like Dan, Nathan was a pitcher. The minute Nathan could walk, his father had him out practicing his pitching and his hitting. Nathan had been training for this his entire life. He loved this game and he felt that it loved him. He was fully expected to lead the Ravens to victory in this game and in the next.

CRACK! That first one the umpire called a ball. This time, the ball went sailing past left field. Members of the other team ran for it, but they wouldn't get to it in time. With a smirk, Nathan made his way to first base, then second, third, and finally home. The sound of cheers rang in his ears. The entire town was there cheering him on.

As Nathan made it to home and made his way back to the dugout, he looked to the stands. People were still cheering loudly for him. He noticed Rachel Gatina wink in his direction. Everyone was cheering except for one. She was politely clapping, but she didn't look that happy about it. He had noticed her before because she was always with him. He often wondered if they were seeing each other. Lucas told him that they weren't.

His brother, Lucas. They were just beginning to talk to each other. They had made the decision about two months earlier. Nathan remembered exactly what brought it on as he watched Lucas step up to home plate. Lucas was good. He wasn't quite as good as Nathan, but he was good. He played second base. Nathan glanced at the bold, blue number three printed on the back of Lucas's white and navy blue striped uniform. Months earlier, he would have had an expression of absolute hatred as his brother stepped up the plate. Nathan hated it when Lucas merely stepped onto the field.

The entire town knew what happened, but it wasn't spoken of. Dan Scott had gotten Karen Roe pregnant. She had left town after high school and when she returned months later, she had Lucas with her. No one had to wonder very much what had happened. Dan had left to play minor league baseball and was well on his way to the big leagues. He stopped playing after his injury and a few months after Karen returned to Tree Hill with Lucas, Dan had returned with a wife and a son.

Lucas was three months older than Nathan. From the moment they were old enough to realize that they were brothers, Dan had made sure that Nathan knew that Lucas wasn't to be treated that way. Lucas was, in Dan's words, a cancer on their family. In Dan's mind, the boy shouldn't even exist. Nathan had been raised to believe that he had gotten the better deal in this. Dan made sure to let Nathan know that he had a father who loved him and wanted to give him a secure future. Lucas didn't. What Dan didn't point out is that the reason that Lucas didn't have that was because Dan chose not to be there.

Nathan and Dan had both been furious when Lucas decided to join the baseball team. Keith Scott was the one who encouraged it. Keith was Dan's older brother. When Dan left Karen pregnant, Keith was the one there to help her. Years later, the two had married. They were happy. Keith treated Lucas as if he was his own son. While Keith saw his brother and his family on holidays, they didn't have much contact. Keith ran a garage. Dan sold cars and Keith fixed them. Dan never had anything nice to say about Keith.

About two months back, the Ravens had suffered a pretty bad loss. Their coach had yelled. He had yelled a lot. Dan had yelled even more. Nathan was used to it, but that didn't make it any easier. Dan never missed an opportunity to tell Nathan that he'd never be as good as he had been, no matter how hard he tried. That didn't stop Dan from forcing Nathan to try harder.

In an act of desperation, Nathan had cornered Lucas in the locker room one afternoon. He began by pointing out the obvious. They didn't like each other. They had to acknowledge that, even though both were well aware of the fact. Nathan then proposed that for the sake of the team, they ignore each other. Instead of being at each other's throats and instead of making snide comments throughout practice, during games, and during the school day, they ignore each other. Their sole focus would be on baseball and on winning. They hadn't lost a game since.

Nathan was well aware that it wasn't Lucas who made the comments and started the arguments; it was all him. Dan had encouraged it. For Nathan, if ignoring Lucas meant getting Dan off his back because they were winning meant not getting the little high he got from pushing Lucas's buttons, then it was worth it. Dan would still be on Nathan's back. He would never be happy. But at least they wouldn't be losing. Nathan loved baseball and he was competitive. He wanted to win and Lucas was a means to that end.

Nathan offered Lucas a nod as Lucas took his place at home plate, got into position, and waited for the pitch. If Nathan was being honest, Lucas wasn't so bad. He was a lot smarter than Nathan was. He had his mom and Keith and they were always there offering support for Lucas. Nathan looked in the stands and saw them there, smiling. They had their baby with them. Her name was Lily and she was about a year old. Nathan hadn't officially met her. He had never actually officially met Karen. Despite being family, Dan kept them separated. A few times, Karen and Keith each offered him a friendly smile and Nathan was never sure how to take it. He was always worried that maybe Dan had seen it. That wouldn't go over well.

Nathan could sense that Dan was always more on edge when Karen and Keith were at games. Dan's constant yelling got worse when Lucas joined the team and Nathan had noticed more than once that Dan was looking to Keith and Karen. He was sure his father was focusing more on Karen than on Keith. Nathan couldn't figure it out. He couldn't read the look on his father's face.

Keith and Karen were sitting with her. Her brown hair was curled and she was smiling at Lucas. Her enthusiasm had definitely increased now that it was Lucas's turn at bat. Lucas and Nathan were slowly beginning to talk. Once, Nathan casually referred to her as Lucas's girlfriend. His brother had chuckled, shook his head, and denied the connection. He told Nathan that they were best friends; she was like a little sister to him. That had Nathan even more confused. She was a pretty girl and he didn't understand how a guy could be friends with a pretty girl without more happening.

Nathan had never been friends with a girl like that. He had never really had a girlfriend until Peyton Sawyer and that ended almost as quickly as it began when she caught him with Erica Marsh. They were always fighting anyway, but Nathan still felt bad about it. Girls liked him. He liked that he had the power to make them do almost anything. He had a certain status at school and Dan expected him to act like it. For Nathan, the attention was flattering. Dan had warned him against getting attached to one girl. It was after a game when Nathan had only scored one run that Dan's tirade caused Nathan to lash out. Sadly, for Peyton, Nathan's behavior led him straight to Erica Marsh. Peyton had since become friends with Lucas and her.

He had found out that her name was Haley. She was even smarter than Lucas; he knew that. She was at the top of their class and was always helping other students with their school work. Lucas also mentioned that she worked as a waitress in his mother's café. She had never spoken to him, not really. When he used to walk by Lucas and make a rude comment, she would sometimes say something under her breath. Usually, she was calling him a name. She was definitely loyal.

Ever since Nathan and Lucas had worked to get along, she was leery of him. Nathan could tell and it made him uneasy. It also made him a little angry. He was trying. He was getting to know Lucas and, because of baseball, they were getting along better. Dan didn't know about it and, for the most part, Nathan and Lucas didn't advertise it. Dan asked him about it once and Nathan had simply said that it was just a way to win.

Nathan was beginning to like Lucas. He wasn't like Nathan's usual friends. Tim Smith, Damien West, and the others followed Nathan around. They did whatever Nathan said. Wherever Nathan went, they wanted to go with them. Tim especially. Damien followed, but he also had his own mind. He didn't follow blindly. He also had a bit of a temper. Nathan had realized during their second year of high school that Damien also had it in for him. He hid it well, but Nathan could tell that Damien thought he was a better ball player and that he deserved all of the attention Nathan was getting.

Haley cheered loudly as Lucas swung the bat and hit the ball. Nathan watched her the entire time. He couldn't figure her out. Lucas had told him that she was the most giving, kindest person in the world. Yet, she wouldn't give Nathan a chance. She was the only girl in Tree Hill who didn't glance his way in hopes of gaining his attention. When she glanced his way, it was with judgment.

By the time the game ended, the Ravens had won. Nathan managed to score three runs and Lucas one. Nathan looked over at Damien. He was glaring at Lucas dangerously. He saw Lucas as a threat rather than an asset. Damien had struck out once during the game and when he did hit the ball, he hadn't made it further than second base. It just hadn't been his day, but Nathan knew that he would blame it on Lucas.

Nathan was gathering his things after cleaning up in the locker room. As he was walking out, he spotted Lucas talking to Haley and Peyton. Lucas noticed him and Nathan nodded.

"Hey, Nate," Lucas called out, beckoning his brother to their small group.

Reluctantly, Nathan approached. He didn't make eye contact with Peyton. She didn't look at him either. Haley wasn't looking at him. She had her arms crossed over her chest and she turned her body slightly away from him.

"Listen, the three of us, we're headed to the café to celebrate. You should come along," Lucas invited him.

Nathan noticed Haley's head jerk toward them. He thought he could see a flash of anger in her eyes, but before he could fully understand her expression, she looked away.

"I, uh, I don't think that's such a good idea. Thanks, though." Nathan looked at the two girls. They were both ignoring them.

"You sure? You should celebrate too. That was a great game you played."

"I can't. You played good too."

"It's 'played well,'" Haley muttered.

Nathan looked down at her. She was short. He was easily a foot taller than she was. Had she just corrected him? He chose to not respond. He actually wanted to go to the café. He knew that neither Peyton nor Haley wanted him there, but he thought it would be nice to hang out somewhere new and without his usual friends. He needed to go home. He couldn't imagine what would keep Dan from that game. He didn't miss his dad being there, but he still felt he should know.

"Hey, watch out for Damien. He isn't happy with how you played and how he played," Nathan warned.

"Will do. Thanks for the warning. See you at practice," Lucas said, watching Nathan walk off.

When Nathan was gone, Lucas turned back to his friends. "You could be nicer to him."

"I don't trust him," Haley said. "He is the same one who left you in a ditch, Lucas. Have you forgotten that?"

"No. I haven't. But, he's the one who came to me to make an effort. He's trying. You're the nicest person I know, Hales. You could be a little nicer to him."

"I just don't trust him, Lucas. Look at what he did to Peyton and those other girls. Sorry, Peyton."

"I don't know what he's up to, but I don't trust him either," Peyton said.

"Fine," Lucas relented, "but if he ever does hang out with us, will you promise to at least be polite? He's my brother. I'm just trying to get to know him."

Peyton glared at him.

"Okay, I know what he did to you was wrong. You know I'd never want to see you hurt, Peyton. But I think he's really trying."

By the time they reached the café, the conversation had switched gears. They were now talking about a movie they had gone to see a few days before. It was some Bette Davis movie that Peyton and Haley had enjoyed, but Lucas was less enthusiastic about.

* * *

><p>Nathan walked into his house. He nodded at their housekeeper as he walked to the stairs. He stopped when he heard voices coming from his dad's study. He stopped and tried to listen. Everything was muffled, but he thought it sounded like they were arguing. Nathan backed away when he heard the door open.<p>

"… that whore sister of yours," Dan spewed.

"One of these days you're gonna hurt the wrong person and they're gonna make you pay, Dan Scott. One of these days, someone is gonna kill you. I just hope I'm around to see it," the other man said.

"Coop?" Nathan was surprised to see his uncle standing there, his expression angered. When Cooper saw Nathan, he smiled, trying to let go of the anger he felt after his conversation with Dan.

"Nathan. How is my favorite nephew?"

"I'm your only nephew."

"Still my favorite. Good game?"

Nathan shrugged. "We won."

"That'd good to hear. Keep it up. Listen, I've got to run, but I'll see you around."

When Cooper walked away Nathan turned to Dan's study. He looked in and saw his father at his desk, a drink in his hand. When Dan saw Nathan, he scowled.

"I wasn't at the game."

"I know."

"Well?"

"I scored three runs. We won."

"Three runs," Dan said with disgust. "Get out of here. I'm busy."

Nathan was tempted to ask his dad why he wasn't at the game. If he wasn't at the game, he should have been at City Hall. He didn't ask, though. Judging from Dan's current state, it wasn't a good idea. Nathan was also annoyed. Any sane person would consider three runs to be good. Better than good, it was great. Not Dan Scott. Dan Scott pushed and pushed. When he couldn't push anymore, he pushed more.

Nathan went upstairs to his room and took out some of his books. He didn't think he should have to study anymore. He was graduating next week and he had already been accepted to Duke. He thought maybe it was Lucas's influence. His brother was still working hard even though he had been accepted at both Duke and UNC. Lucas was still working hard for school. So was Haley. Nathan would see them studying together often.

A while later, Nathan heard the front door slam and knew that his father had left. Nathan got up off of his bed and went downstairs. His stomach had been growling for some time, but he didn't want to go downstairs while Dan was still there. He got to the kitchen to find that the housekeeper, Ida, had left him a plate of food before she left. Ida was usually doing things like that since Dan was off working and his mother was doing God knows what. Nathan picked at the food while standing at the counter.

He was back in his room, on his bed, and staring at the ceiling when he heard the front door again. He stayed in his room. He wanted to hide. He always wanted to hide when he was at home. His mother was often drunk, his father was often angry. When the two were together, it was like war. Nathan didn't want to deal with it. It was making him miserable.

His eyes were closing and he was beginning to fall asleep when he heard the front door again. This time, it slammed shut and he heard his father yelling from downstairs.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, DEB?"

That couldn't be good. As much as it upset Nathan that his mother drank, he didn't like that his father was constantly bullying her. Her drinking was just a way to drown Dan out. Nathan understood that. He wished that she would be there for him more, but he knew what it was like to live under the thumb of Dan Scott. When he was mid-way down the stairs, he heard another voice.

"Danny, calm down. Just back away and calm down."

Nathan recognized the voice. It was his Uncle Keith.

"Not a chance, Keith," Dan countered.

Nathan tried to quietly walk down the steps. He stopped and kneeled so he could just barely see the three of them in the living room. Deb was by the fire place and Keith was approaching Dan. Nathan could only see Dan's back.

"You've been sneaking around behind my back for months," Dan accused. "You not only betray me, but Karen too. Wasn't it enough, Keith? You took Karen from me, but now my wife? I don't even want her, but for you to betray me like that. My own brother!"

"Dan, you're out of your mind. You're the one who left Karen. You're the one who chose Deb."

"Mistake of my life."

"You were the mistake of my life," Deb said through tears. Her fists were clenched tightly and her head was held high. "I'm getting out of here, Dan. And I'm never looking back."

"You'll leave when I say you leave," Dan shouted. He pulled something from his pocket. Nathan couldn't tell what it was until he heard the shot. Two shots and Deb was on the ground in front of the fire place.

Nathan tried to shout. He tried to make any noise, but he couldn't find his voice. He just stared, his mouth open. He watched as Keith approached Dan quickly, but another shot rang out. Nathan watched as Keith stumbled backward and fell to his knees.

"You shot me," Keith said, disbelief clouding his voice. "You… I'm your brother…" Keith landed on the floor with a thud, face down. Nathan stayed silent. He didn't know what would happen if he spoke. He felt like he was paralyzed. He didn't move until minutes after Dan walked out the door, this time shutting the door quietly.

When Nathan was finally able to move, he slowly went to the living room. His mother and his uncle were lying on the floor. Nathan felt his stomach lurch and he quickly went to the potted plant in the corner of the room. The contents of his dinner spilled into the pot, mixing with the soil. Nathan gripped the pot and steadied himself. With one more glance at the two on the floor, he ran out of the house.

He wasn't sure where he was going, but he had to get out of there. He had to go somewhere. He wasn't thinking and he didn't stop until he was in front of a house. He knew who lived there, but he had never been there before. He stumbled up the steps onto the porch and banged his fist on the door. His breath was heavy and he tried to steady his breathing, but he couldn't. He was gripping onto the wall when the door opened.

Lucas looked like he was about to yell at whoever was at the door, but paused when he saw Nathan there. His face was covered in sweat; he looked like hell, his face contorted in anguish.

"Nathan, what's wrong?"

"He… he shot them, Luke. He killed them."

"What are you talking about?" Lucas looked back in the house, not seeing anyone there, he turned back to Nathan, who was now on his knees on the wooden porch. "Nathan, what's going on?"

"Dan. Dan shot my mom. And Keith. I watched it happen, Luke," Nathan cried.

Lucas grabbed Nathan and hoisted him to his feet. He dragged him into the house and pulled him to the couch. Nathan sank into the couch, his shoulders slouched. His head hung low.

"You're sure?" Lucas couldn't believe what he had heard. This couldn't have happened. Dan Scott was a bad guy, but was he a murderer? Nathan looked up at him and that was all the confirmation that Lucas needed.

"Nathan, listen to me and listen carefully. Haley is upstairs with Lily. Do not tell her what happened. Do not tell her what you saw. Do not say anything until I get back, do you understand?"

Nathan didn't know why Lucas was telling him this, but he knew that right now Lucas was the person he trusted most in the world. He wouldn't say a word. He nodded his head and looked down at the rug on the floor. He felt like vomiting again, but there was nothing to come up. He didn't notice that Lucas had left the room.

Upstairs, Lucas found Haley by Lily's crib. "Haley," he whispered.

She turned around and smiled. They had been watching Lily while Karen was closing up the café. They were just tucking her in for the night when Nathan had come in. "Who was at the door?"

"Listen, Haley, something happened. I don't know what it is, but I have to go. Nathan is downstairs and I know you don't like him, but I need you to keep an eye on him. Please, just watch out for him, Haley. I'm asking you to do this for me."

Hearing the grave tone in her best friend's voice and seeing the seriousness in his blue eyes, Haley nodded. Whatever was going on, Lucas needed her now.

He gently squeezed her arm before he left and walked out of the house. With a feeling of dread and fear, Lucas drove to the Scott house to see for himself what had happened.

Lucas left the door to the car open when he got there. He found that the front door had been left open. He figured that must have happened when Nathan ran out. He stepped carefully into the house. Nathan hadn't said where this had happened, so Lucas walked slowly. He first looked in the foyer and didn't see anything. He had never been in this house before and he hadn't thought he ever would. This wasn't the time to look around and take it all in. He was there for a reason. When he reached the living room he could smell the vomit coming from the potted plant, but he didn't take the time to investigate.

He saw them immediately. Deb was flat on her back and her blood was staining the rug. Lucas looked over at Keith. He didn't see any blood coming from him, but he was on his stomach and his eyes were closed. Lucas went to Deb and felt for a pulse. He didn't feel anything, so he went to Keith. He turned his uncle, who was more of a father to him. Keith's hand was clutching his wound and his hands were covered in his own blood. Lucas stumbled when he heard a cough coming from Keith. Some blood came from his mouth, dribbling onto his lips.

"Keith?"

Keith struggled to open his eyes and then focus them. "Lucas… Dan…"

"I know." Lucas also knew that if Keith was still alive that he needed to get him help quickly. Using every ounce of strength he had, Lucas hoisted Keith over his shoulders and carried him to the car. He tried to put him in the back seat as gently as he could, but it was difficult.

He was sure he'd broken every speed limit as he made his way to Doc Durham's. He did everything he could to get Keith there as quickly as possible. When they did get there, Lucas didn't have the strength to lift his uncle again. Keith was in and out of consciousness, mumbling here and there.

"Hang on, Keith," Lucas said, dragging the older man to the doctor's front door. "Doc! I need your help," he shouted.

Doctor Brian "Whitey" Durham came outside, his shirtsleeves rolled up and his suspenders straining against his round belly. "Lucas Scott, is that you?"

"I need your help. He's been shot!"

The doctor looked down at Keith and saw the blood soaking his shirt. "Let's get him in the house."

* * *

><p>Haley took one last look at Lily after Lucas had left before going down to the living room. She didn't know what to expect when she saw Nathan, but this wasn't it. This was a shell of the arrogant young man she saw in school and around down. He was a mess. It looked like there was some vomit on his shirt and there was a light sheen of sweat on his face. One sleeve was rolled up, the other was down. He had his head in his hands and his legs were shaking as he looked down at the rug. Now she understood why Lucas had wanted her to keep an eye on him.<p>

He didn't even hear her approach. This was the person who had tormented her best friend for months. He had gone out of his way to make Lucas's life hell. Now he was sitting there in Lucas's living room looking completely and utterly broken. She looked at him and didn't see the person who had been so cruel. She saw someone who needed comforting. He was someone who had feelings and right now, he needed someone. She gently placed her hand on his shoulder. He flinched and looked up at her, disoriented.

He had been crying. She could see it in his eyes. They were damp with tears. He looked at her like he wasn't really seeing her. He looked so confused and lost.

"Do you need anything?" It was the only thing she could think of to say. She didn't know him. She didn't know what he would need. She realized her hand was still on his shoulder and she could feel him shaking beneath her fingers.

"I'll get you some water," she said, turning around.

"My mom," he spoke. He wasn't supposed to say anything. He was supposed to keep quiet. That's what Lucas had said.

"What about her?" Haley turned back to him and sat next to him. When she saw his hands shaking, she took them in her own, trying to calm him.

It worked. Nathan looked down at their hands. Her hands were warm and soft and he immediately felt a wave of calmness sweep over him. It didn't take away what he had seen, but his shaking was stopping. It was getting better. He looked at her. With everything going on, he couldn't help but notice that she had beautiful, kind eyes. She was looking at him like she didn't hate him. How could she after everything he had done?

Haley wasn't sure how long they sat like that. She kept Nathan's hands in her own. He hadn't calmed down completely, but he was no longer shaking. He was still a wreck and every few moments he would shudder, move his mouth as if he was about to speak, and then continue looking at the floor. He looked at her twice, maybe three times. They didn't know each other, but she was comforting him. She didn't know what had happened, but she was here for him. She wanted to help him.

"What's going on?" Karen walked in the front door and looked at Haley and Nathan sitting on her sofa.

Haley let go of Nathan and his hands began shaking again. He kept them clasped together, his elbows resting on his knees.

"Nathan?" Karen took in his appearance. She had never seen him like this.

Nathan looked up at her and thought about what he had seen. He thought about Keith trying to help his mother. It seemed like he was helping her leave Dan. He was sure that his father was wrong. Keith and Deb couldn't be seeing each other. From what Nathan could see, Keith was completely devoted to Karen. Nathan thought about Keith lying face down on the floor after being shot. He thought about the tone in Keith's voice when Dan shot him. It had been tinged with disbelief.

"Lily…," Karen was about to go upstairs.

"She's fine, Karen. She's sound asleep. Lucas and I were putting her down when Nathan got here." Haley stood up.

"What's going on, Haley?" Karen tried to keep her voice steady. Her nephew, her son's brother, had never been in her house before. Karen wasn't even sure he had known where it was. Yet, here he sat, a wreck. A shell. He wasn't even speaking.

"I don't know, Karen. We were upstairs with Lily when we heard banging on the door. Lucas went to check. He came upstairs, told me to keep an eye on Nathan, and that he'd be back. He didn't give me any other details. I came down here and found Nathan. All he said was something about his mom." Haley looked back down at Nathan. He was still looking at Karen and she couldn't figure out the look on his face. She noticed his hands. They were still shaking and she sat back down and took them in hers.

Nathan looked at her. He was surprised. She comforted him once and now she was doing it again. No one had ever looked at him with the compassion that she was looking at him with now. Something about her, something about her presence, was helping him. This was easily becoming the worst day of his life, but she was here by his side. She had no reason to be.

"I'm sorry if I was mean to you," he told her, his voice barely above a whisper. He was sure he had been mean to her. He had to have made some comment about her before he got to know his brother. Goodness knows, she had made comments about him. She had good reason to. He was not a good person; he knew that. But now, she was there for him and if he had ever said anything mean to her, he was genuinely sorry. He couldn't be mean to someone this good. It wasn't right. She didn't deserve his cruelty, the cruelty he had inherited from his father.

"What are you talking about, Nathan?"

It was the first time she'd said his name. He noticed that. They hadn't spoken during the time she sat with him before Karen got there. When referring to him as he walked by and she made comments, she never said his name. She said his name and despite everything, something about it felt good.

"I'm sorry," he repeated. "I… if I was ever mean… I'm sorry. I don't, I don't want to be him."

"Nathan," Karen kneeled in front of him. "Nathan, what's going on?"

Before he could answer, they all heard the front door open. Lucas stepped inside the house. There was blood on his shirt. It was becoming brown now, drying into the fabric.

"Oh my God, Lucas," Karen left Nathan and stood in front of her son. She saw the anguish on his face, the tears he was trying to keep from falling. Karen put her hands on his shoulders. There was dried blood on his left shoulder from when he carried Keith out of Dan's house.

"Mom…"

"What is it, Lucas?"

Lucas looked at his brother and his best friend sitting on the sofa. Just hours ago he would have never imagined that they would be sitting together on his sofa holding hands. It looked like Haley was trying to keep Nathan afloat.

"Mom, it's Keith. And Deb," Lucas said, turning his attention back to his mother. He took a step closer to her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Mom, they were shot. Someone killed them. I'm sorry, mom. I tried to help him. I tried, but it was too late."

He watched Karen's face fall and saw the tears fall down her cheeks. He pulled her into a tight hug. From over her shoulder, he saw how shocked Haley looked. Nathan didn't react. He sat there, his hands still in Haley's. Haley began to cry silently. Lucas knew that she and Keith had been close. She spent so much time at their house growing up and he had always been so kind to her.

"Keith," Karen said. "No."

"I'm sorry, mom. I'm sorry. Nathan found them and ran here. He found them and came to get me. Keith was alive when I got there, so I took him to the Doc. Doc couldn't do anything. I'm sorry, mom. I'm sorry."

Karen was sobbing loudly and clinging to her son. Her knees gave out and she began to fall to the ground. Lucas held her up. He held her close, not letting go of her. He could still see Nathan over his shoulder. Nathan still hadn't said anything. Haley was still holding his hands, but she moved one hand to his shoulder, trying to sooth him in any way that she could.

Haley looked at Nathan. No wonder he was in such bad shape. He found his mother and his uncle shot. No wonder he hadn't been able to say anything until he apologized to her. He didn't want to be him. That's what he had said to her. He didn't want to be him. What did he mean? Who was he talking about? It didn't matter now. What mattered was what was going on now. The people in this living room mattered. They had all lost people important to them. Karen lost the love of her life. Lucas lost the only father he had ever known. Nathan lost his mother.

Haley continued to move her hand soothingly over Nathan's shoulder, but he was nearly catatonic. He hadn't reacted since Lucas came in and announced what had happened. It was like he had shut down completely. He showed no signs of life. His eyes were empty. He had begun to shake a little, though. When Lucas said that they were dead, Nathan began to shake again.

Nathan stayed as still as his body would allow. He heard what Lucas had said. Someone had shot them. Someone. Nathan knew who it was. He had told Lucas. Did Lucas not believe him? Had Keith really been alive when Lucas got there? If he had, why hadn't Nathan checked? Nathan internally berated himself for not checking. He should have checked. Maybe in the time it took him to run here and Lucas to drive there, maybe he could have saved his Uncle Keith and then Karen wouldn't be hanging onto Lucas for dear life. Why hadn't he checked? Why was his brother lying?

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> Well, that's it. The first chapter. I hope you enjoyed it! Thank you for reading and reviewing. if you guys review like you did on _Your Hand in Mine_, I'll be very lucky!


	2. Suddenly Feeling Very Lonely

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Note:** Okay, so there isn't much Naley in this. This chapter is a lot of set up. So, please just trust me on this. I'm taking my time to get it just right and I hope it will be worth the wait. I can't thank you enough for your kind reviews. I'm so glad the story has captures your interest! You guys are the best!

* * *

><p><em><strong>Tree Hill, June, 1921<strong>_

Keith Scott dragged himself home. It had been a long day, to say the least. He had been working at the docks since he finished with his schooling two years earlier. His parents had wanted him to continue and get an education. They could have easily gotten him into Duke University or the University of North Carolina. Royal Scott had many connections. Keith wanted something simpler. He chose to stay at home and work. Without telling his father, he went to the docks and got himself a job. Now, six days a week, Keith worked hard at unloading the cargo of the ships that came through Tree Hill. It was hard work and by the end of the day, Keith ached. It was all worth it. The job meant that he could leave Royal's house when he wanted to. He was paying his own way and he was independent.

The independence was important. Keith realized that at a young age. He watched as his father tried to get him to play baseball. He wasn't successful and Royal soon cast him aside. Keith's younger brother, Dan, had taken to baseball immediately. Dan had a natural talent for the game. That meant that Royal kept Dan on a short leash. From what Keith could tell, Dan didn't seem to mind. His younger brother seemed to relish in the attention their father gave him. It was as if Dan was perfectly content to know that their father clearly preferred him over Keith.

It wasn't until Dan was about twelve years-old that he began acting with the arrogance that he now carried as a second skin. At first, Keith hoped that his brother was just going through a phase. Now, five years later, he could see that wasn't the case. If anything, Dan got worse. He was a school bully and playboy. The girls flocked to Dan and his girlfriend Karen had as well.

As Keith approached the porch and went up the three steps, he saw Dan pawing at Karen. The young couple was sitting on the porch swing. Karen was protesting, trying to push Dan away, but she was also giggling. Keith politely cleared his throat when he got to the door.

Dan didn't pull away from Karen, but he did look over his shoulder at his brother. "Well, look what finally dragged himself home. You've smelled better."

Keith gave Dan a slight smile. He had learned it was usually better to ignore his brother. He loved him and hoped that once he got older and went away to college that he would go back to being the sweet kid he had been. He hoped that once Dan got away from their father that things would get better.

Keith put his hands in his pockets and shuffled his feet. He looked at Karen and noticed that she looked somewhat embarrassed by the position she and Dan had been found in. She had her hands on Dan's chest, as if she was pushing him away. Dan kept his arms around her, but Keith could see his brother looked at him and his girlfriend.

"So, uh, Karen. That thing we talked about earlier, I'm gonna do it," Keith smiled.

The embarrassment left Karen's features and a wide smile graced her pretty face. This time, she managed to get herself out of Dan's arms. She rushed to Keith and threw her arms around his neck. Keith was a strong, large man, but the force of Karen's excitement nearly knocked him backward. He placed his arms around her waist.

When she stepped away from him, she again looked slightly embarrassed, but she kept on smiling. "I'm so happy for you, Keith. It's going to be wonderful for you; I just know it."

"I, uh… I couldn't have made the decision without your help. So, thanks. Thanks a lot. You're a great friend, Karen."

"Well, it was your decision to make. I just told you what I thought. But you're welcome, Keith. I'm just so happy for you," she beamed.

"I'll leave you two alone. You have a good night," Keith excused himself. He wiped his feet on the mat before walking into the house. Karen watched the door after he left, still smiling.

Dan had been watching them the entire time. He had been watching them for months. Karen Roe was easily the most beautiful girl in school, so naturally she was Dan Scott's girlfriend. His family loved her and had taken to her immediately. Dan had noticed how well his girlfriend got along with his older brother. Dan was certain that there was more to it. He could see it in Keith's eyes. Whenever Keith spoke to Karen, he was nervous. He kept his hands in his pockets and he shuffled his feet. He stammered his words and he had trouble making eye contact with her. Karen was affectionate with Keith. She hugged him. Dan had even seen her giving him a kiss on the cheek. He didn't like it.

"Care to let me know what's going on?"

Karen turned back to her boyfriend. The dangerous look in his eyes didn't go unnoticed. Dan was territorial. She knew that. It hadn't been a problem because everyone at school knew not to take what was Dan's. Karen didn't care for being thought of only as Dan's. But, she was seventeen years-old and she was in love. She joined him again on the porch swing and looked into his handsome face.

"I think when Keith is ready to tell you he will," she told him.

"Karen. Come on."

"Dan, this is a big deal for him. He will tell you, I know it. He loves you very much."

"Sure he does," Dan scoffed.

"Dan…"

"Karen, he's got eyes on you. He wants you for himself."

Karen was speechless. Keith was Dan's older brother. He was shy and a little timid, but he was a good man. He couldn't possibly want her for himself. Keith would never do that to his brother. As Karen watched her boyfriend, she realized that Dan would.

She tried to placate him. "Dan, Keith and I are friends. He's your brother. He knows that you and I love each other and that we have a future together."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Wilmington, February, 1922<strong>_

"Here you go," Keith set a cup of tea on the table next to Karen's bed. There was sweat on her face. She was hot even though it was the middle of winter. Keith took her small hand in his and gave her a small smile.

"You were supposed to use that money for your own house, Keith. I remember that night you came home and found Dan and me on the porch. You told me you were going to do it. You were going to finally get away from your father and buy your own house."

"I did get away from my father," Keith smiled.

"But now you're saddled helping me." Karen looked at her large stomach. She had believed with everything that she and Dan had a future. She believed it and she gave him everything. When she got pregnant, she assumed he would marry her. That's what they were planning anyway. It was just happening sooner than they'd expected.

Dan had left. He had gone to UNC to play baseball and was now playing for a minor league team. He was on his way to playing professionally. He had left Karen behind. Her parents had kicked her out and she had nowhere to go. She felt lost and helpless until Keith stepped in. Not wanting Karen to have to face the humiliation of her pregnancy, the two went a few towns over to Wilmington. They'd set themselves up in a small house that they rented. Keith was still working. He worked the docks, this time in Wilmington. He was there for Karen throughout every step of her pregnancy.

"You've been the best friend I've ever had, Keith."

"Anyone woulda done it, Karen."

She looked at him. They both knew that wasn't true.

He watched as Karen tried to hold in the pain she was feeling. She was in labor and the doctor was going to be at the house any moment now. Early on in the labor, Keith had run to fetch him. The doctor had a patient to see to first and since it was still early in the labor, Keith knew they would be fine.

Karen had been strong throughout all of this. Keith had always been amazed by her. During the months they'd spent living together he had realized something he had suspected for over a year before. He was in love with Karen Roe. He didn't understand his brother. He didn't understand why Danny wasn't doing the right thing and marrying this wonderful girl. She was about to give birth to their child and he'd just left them.

"Karen, I have to tell you something."

She just looked at him.

"I sent for Danny. I know you want him here. I think he wants to be here, too."

"What makes you think that, Keith?"

"Well, why wouldn't he?" Keith was hoping. Dan had been away from Royal for months. He was hoping that now that he was playing well and on his way with baseball that maybe the arrogance had dissipated. He took a chance and called for his brother. He told them where to find him and that it was close. Keith also knew from months of living with Karen that she was still in love with Dan. She kept his picture on her dresser. Keith had seen her looking at it. He knew she wanted the father of her child there.

"You're the best friend I've ever had, Keith."

Keith just smiled at her, not wanting her to know that she was breaking his heart. He was so in love with her. He loved her grace and her courage. He loved her heart and soul. But she loved his brother. The least he could do was give her what she wanted most.

It was in the early morning hours when Dan pulled up to the small house. It was the address Keith had given him. He wasn't sure what time it was. He knew it was well after midnight. He stopped and stood next to his car. He could see a light on coming from a window on the second story. He stayed rooted in his spot when he saw his brother in the window. Keith had never looked happier. He was smiling and he was holding a small baby. Dan watched as Keith sat on the edge of the bed next to a smiling Karen. He watched his brother with Karen and his baby and Dan's blood turned cold. Without a second look, he felt his suspicions were confirmed. Keith wanted Karen and now he had her. He had her and he had Dan's child. Dan got into his car and he left. He didn't look back.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Tree Hill, 1938<strong>_

Haley sat behind the stacks in the library, leafing through several books. She had been in there for hours by herself. She found the library a comforting place. She loved books. The library had a certain smell to it that she couldn't quite describe. It was comforting to her. Lucas was the only person she had ever met that understood the smell of books the way she did.

She was in the middle of turning a page when she heard voices. She looked through the stacks trying to see who was there. She saw Nathan Scott with two of his friends. She had never seen them in the library before. Curiosity got the best of her and she stayed quiet, trying to hear what they were saying.

"You're seriously gonna let that kid on our team, Nate?" Haley realized that it was Tim Smith. He was one of Nathan's friends. Everyone knew who they were. They followed Nathan around everywhere. The other one was Damien West.

"We've got to get rid of him, Nathan."

"I know that. He doesn't belong on this team. He doesn't even belong in the world. He's a complete waste of space."

"Have you seen those friends of his? They play ball at that field," Tim said.

"Have you seen the girl? I don't know, she looked like a good time," Damien added. "I'd have a go with her."

Haley tried to control her temper. She knew they had to be talking about her. She was the only girl who spent time with Lucas and the other boys. Now Damien West was talking about her like she was just an object. She noticed Nathan glare at Damien and she didn't understand. He looked like he was ready to hit Damien. Haley had never met Nathan, so why was he looking at Damien like that?

More than her confusion over Nathan's look, Haley was angry. What had Lucas ever done to Nathan? Who was Nathan to say that his brother was a waste of space and didn't deserve to live? Who was he that he ran this school? Haley used all of her self-control to stay behind the stacks. She didn't want them to know that she'd heard everything they said.

"I'm gonna get rid of him," Nathan vowed. "He won't know what hit him. I'm going to make his life a living hell. He'll wish he'd never been born. Just like I've been wishing since I found out about him." With that, Nathan, Tim, and Damien turned and left the library.

Haley was seething. She looked down at the books she'd been going through and couldn't even remember the assignment she had been working on. She just closed the book and gathered her things. By the time she walked out of the library, she didn't see Nathan and his friends.

Haley angrily walked to the front doors of the school. She didn't notice Nathan. He was walking out of a bathroom as she passed. He watched her, wondering what had her walking with such purpose. He thought about what Damien had said in the library. He had seen her. He'd seen more than she realized. More than anyone had realized.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Tree Hill, 1939<strong>_

It had been three days since Keith and Deb had died. The Tree Hill sheriff had no leads on who had done it. He had told Dan and Nathan that he suspected that it was a robbery gone wrong. Nathan did his best to keep quiet and not tell what he knew. He had to keep quiet. It was hard. Whenever he saw his father, he wanted to lash out. He wanted to scream and shout that he knew the truth, that he saw what had happened. He worked on setting his face to stone. He had to. Lucas had told him that he had to.

Nathan had been in shock as Lucas explained his plan. Nathan wasn't sure when Lucas had time to think of this. Nathan realized that Lucas hadn't told the whole truth to Karen and Haley. Nathan had remained silent. When Haley had taken Karen upstairs to comfort the woman, Lucas quietly sat down and began explaining what he had in mind to Nathan. He told Nathan that he would have to trust him. Lucas explained that the two of them would have to trust each other or this would never work.

Dan Scott was a powerful man. Lucas had been right when he said that the sheriff was in his pocket. The sheriff did whatever Dan wanted. Going to him with the truth would be no good. It would only cause trouble for Nathan. If Dan could murder his own wife and brother, Lucas told Nathan that he wouldn't put it past him to do something to his own son.

Nathan, in his traumatic state, had understood that. His life depended on this lie. Nathan was good at lying. He had been doing it with girls for years. He had told little white lies to his parents, to his coach, to everyone. He was good with small lies. He was charming and persuasive. This would be a completely different kind of lie. For days, Nathan stayed in his room. He didn't want to talk to anyone. The only one who saw him was Ida, when she brought him food. Nathan thought this would be better. This way he wouldn't have to worry about Dan or anyone else noticing that he was lying.

Whenever Dan went to work, Lucas would sneak in. The first time that Lucas had come to the house, he walked in without knocking. Ida had been shocked to see him. Like everyone else in town, she knew who he was and his story. With a great deal of confidence, Lucas approached the older woman.

"Nathan needs our help," he said. "You know he isn't going to get that help from his father."

The woman simply nodded. She hadn't told anyone that Lucas had been there. She brought them lunch and left them in Nathan's room. They had gone over the plan in great detail. Every detail except for the one that would make sure Dan paid for his crime. Lucas hadn't figured that out yet.

Lucas wouldn't be coming by that day. That was the day that they would be burying Deb. Nathan would have to stand by Dan's side as his mother's casket was lowered into the ground. The only reason that she was in a casket was because Dan had killed her. Nathan was going to have a hard time controlling his emotions. Lucas had tried talking to him about it. Lucas had offered encouragement. He said that he thought Nathan had it in him.

Nathan and Dan stood at the edge of the grave. Nathan's fists had been clenched throughout the entire service. He hadn't heard a word the minister spoke. Much of the town was there for the funeral. She was the mayor's wife, after all. Nathan didn't notice his Uncle Cooper. Cooper stood next to Nathan, but he kept glaring at Dan.

The sun was bright overhead. Nathan didn't want to be there. He wished he was anywhere but where he was. He wished that he was back in his room, alone except for one visitor. He didn't want to be there standing next to his father. Everything in him wanted to push Dan into that hole in the ground and beat him senseless.

He trusted Lucas. He had put his faith in his brother. He barely knew his brother, but he was putting his faith in him. Lucas had shown that he could be trusted the night that Deb and Keith had died. Lucas had been nothing but strong and constant throughout the past few days. It wasn't lost on Nathan that Lucas had to also be mourning. Keith had been a father to him and he had to want Dan to pay just as much as Nathan did.

Nathan didn't think that he would see his brother today. Dan would be around today, so it would be better for Lucas to stay away. The service was ending. Nathan was vaguely aware of the wooden box containing his mother being lowered into the ground and covered with dirt.

Dan turned to the other mourners. He offered a confident smile, but looked the perfect, grieving widower. He was shaking hands. People were lining up to offer their condolences to the mayor. The district attorney's wife was having them all over at their house afterward for a small reception. Nathan wished he didn't have to go. He felt people patting him on the back. A few placed their hands on his shoulder. He could hear them. They pitied him. They didn't realize that what he was feeling was actually anger. They didn't know the truth.

Having enough of watching dirt being thrown into the ground, Nathan looked up. He squinted in the sun. Across the cemetery, standing by a large tree was Lucas. He wasn't alone. Nathan recognized her. She had been there that night. Not knowing what was going on, she held his hands and offered him comfort. She had been comforting. Now, her arm linked with his brother's, she watched him. Unlike the looks and words of others, Nathan didn't feel like she pitied him. He thought he saw sympathy from her. Lucas offered a smile, trying to offer his support.

"Nathan." Dan's stern voice broke Nathan's thoughts. He looked back. Dan was standing there, beckoning his son to come with him. Apparently, it was time to leave. Nathan looked back to the tree where Lucas and she had been standing. They were gone. Nathan's fists were still clenched as he joined his father. He quickly looked up at Cooper. The man looked angry. He was looking in disgust at Dan Scott.

For days, Nathan had stayed in his room and hadn't left. He wanted to be alone. He didn't necessarily want to be in that house. That was the house where he had watched his father shoot his mother and uncle. It wasn't home anymore. It was, though, somewhere where he knew no one would bother him. Ida and Lucas were the only people he saw. He only left the house for the funeral. He didn't want to be anywhere else.

The day after his mother's funeral, things were different. Lucas had taken a chance by showing up at Deb's funeral. That night, when Nathan was alone in his room, he thought about the chance Lucas had taken. If Dan had seen him there… She was also there. Was she there to support Lucas? Was she there out of curiosity? Nathan couldn't be certain. She had offered him comfort despite his bad behavior. He still didn't know her.

For a second day in a row, Nathan found himself standing in that cemetery. This time, the sun was nowhere to be seen. Clouds covered the sky and a light drizzle fell. Nathan wasn't standing next to Dan this time. In the front row, at the edge of the grave were Karen, Lucas, Dan, and Dan and Keith's parents, Royal and Mae. The three stood side by side. Nathan didn't understand how his brother could be so calm knowing what he knew. Nathan could see Karen's shoulders moving as she cried softly.

She stood next to Nathan. He had barely looked at her. When he did, she smiled. It was a small smile, but it was friendly. She was holding Lily. The baby was sleeping through the entire proceedings. An older man and woman were next to her. The man held an umbrella over Haley and the baby. Lucas was holding one over his mother.

Nathan dared to look up at her once more as the service was closing. She was crying. Had she been close to Keith? Nathan found himself wishing that he knew. A part of him wanted to reach out and comfort her the way she had comforted him. Yesterday, his hands had been at his side, his fists clenched. Today he held them together in front of him. He remembered the feel of her hands covering his. They had been warm. They had warmed him.

Another small reception would follow. Dan had informed Nathan that they would not be attending. Nathan wondered how Dan came to that decision. Dan could have felt guilty. He could have wanted to avoid walking into his brother's house. It was the house he'd shared with the woman Dan had abandoned. He could have been feeling guilty over the fact that he had killed his brother. Nathan didn't think Dan felt guilty. Very little about his father's demeanor had changed since Deb and Keith had died. It was all an act and Nathan could see right through it.

After the funerals, Lucas still visited Nathan. He still came by on a daily basis. The two ate lunch together, provided by Ida. Sometimes they spoke and sometimes they didn't. It went on for weeks. Dan was busy at City Hall and no one else bothered coming by the house. After a week or so, Nathan became more receptive. He began talking more without needing Lucas to ask questions.

"How's your mom?"

Lucas shook his head. "She has good days and bad days. She loved him. Took 'em a while to get to where they were."

"I'm sorry."

"You've got nothing to be sorry for, little brother. Nothing at all. You know, you did the right thing. If you hadn't come to me and gone to someone else, there's no telling what Dan would have done to you. After what he did, I don't put anything past him."

"I never… I never thought he'd go that far, Luke. My mom always said that he still loved your mom. She was sure of it. He never really answered her. I'm just sorry it all happened. And that he's still walking around."

"We're going to work on that, Nathan. I promise. I wanted to talk to you about that." Lucas set the sandwich Ida had made him on the plate and took a drink of water. "I made a decision."

"About what?" Nathan didn't bother putting his sandwich down. He didn't even bother to finish chewing and swallowing his food before speaking.

"You're moving soon. You're going to Durham."

Nathan looked down at the floor. "I'm thinking maybe I shouldn't go. I don't think I want to play."

"Nathan, now more than ever, you have to go. You need to get away from Dan. You need the distance. And maybe playing ball will help. Maybe you'll remember what it's like to let go and have fun. But you need to do everything like you normally would. Let Dan think that nothing's wrong. Besides, you worked hard for this."

"I don't know, Lucas."

"I'm going with you, Nathan."

Nathan set his sandwich down. He looked at Lucas. Lucas was staring at him. "Why would you do that?"

"Because Dan needs to pay and I think that we can plan that best together and away from him." Lucas wasn't saying it, but he actually thought that his brother needed him now. This was Nathan's chance and Lucas wanted to be there to help him through it.

"Won't Dan be even more suspicious if you're there with me?"

"Well, I got accepted to Duke. So, he'll just think I'm going to college."

"You're going to Duke?"

Lucas shook his head. "I can't afford it. I can't afford any school. Dan doesn't need to know that yet. We'll go up there and I'll work. We can spend time together and work on how to fix this. And through all of that, we may actually become brothers. I've thought about it and you aren't changing my mind, Nathan."

"But what about your mom?"

"She's a strong woman. She won't be alone. She'll be fine and she'll understand why I'm going."

"Even without you telling her the truth?"

"She trusts me, Nathan."

"You're giving up everything for this."

"I don't see it that way. Besides, whatever I lose, I'm getting a brother out of it. Dan can't take that away like he's tried to."

Nathan nodded. Lucas was right. Since the murders, they had become brothers. Nathan couldn't think of anyone he trusted more than Lucas. Lucas must have felt similarly. He was giving up everything he knew to move up to Durham.

* * *

><p>Lucas found her sitting on her bed, her nose in a book. They had been best friends for ten years and it was almost always how he found her.<p>

"Hey," he greeted her. Her parents had let him in. They didn't question it. A few of the neighbors had commented about the fact that Jimmy and Lydia James let a boy into their daughter's room. They didn't understand that Lucas was like a brother to Haley. Jimmy and Lydia trusted him completely. Lucas trusted them and he trusted Haley. He trusted her more than anyone and that was exactly why he was there.

He took a seat in the chair at her desk. The desk was brought in after her sister, Taylor, had left home. Haley now had the room to herself.

She could immediately tell that something was going on with him. He looked more pensive than usual. "What's going on?"

"I have something to tell you and I don't think you're going to like it."

"Did you finally ask Peyton to go to a movie? If you finally told her how you feel, I'm going to like that Lucas." It was true. She had seen how Lucas had been looking at their mutual friend even before she was their mutual friend. She had been unattainable then. Then, she was his brother's girlfriend. Haley had been hoping that, since in the past year, they had become friends with Peyton that Lucas would work up the courage to do something about it.

"No. I didn't do that," he told her.

"You should. You shouldn't hide, Lucas. Life is too short for you to hide from your feelings. You like her and if I know anything, she likes you too."

"You're the smartest person I know."

"Then you should probably listen to me."

Lucas chuckled. "I'll think about it." He looked at her. Everything in their childhood had been good. They had been together through thick and thin. This was going to be a test for their friendship. He knew it. "Hales. I need you to do a favor for me. This is going to be the biggest thing I have ever asked of you."

The jovial mood from earlier was now gone. Haley knew it wouldn't last. She knew when he walked in the door that something was going on.

"You know I'd do anything for you."

He nodded. "I'm leaving Tree Hill."

Nothing could have prepared her for hearing that. She knew he couldn't afford college. She couldn't either. She was going to be saving every penny she earned at the café to maybe someday be able to attend. Since he wasn't going to college, Haley assumed that Lucas would just be staying in Tree Hill. Since Keith's death, he had taken over at the garage. He had helped fix the cars and was overseeing the business. Haley had been helping him with the business side of things.

"I'm going with Nathan to Durham."

"Lucas, why?"

"Because he needs me right now, Hales. He's hanging on by a thread." It wasn't a complete lie. Lucas worried whenever he left Nathan. Nathan still wasn't leaving the house. He was staying locked upstairs in that room with only he and Ida for company. "He needs me and I need to do this. This is my chance to help him.

"Keith once told me that he wished I could know what it was like to have a brother. I know he and Dan weren't close in the end. But Keith always talked about their childhood so fondly. He hoped Nathan and I could have that. We can, Hales. He trusts me. You saw that when he came to the house that night. He came to me. I don't know what brought him there, but he did it. This is our chance.

"The thing is, I can only do this if I know that someone is looking after my mom and Lily. There's only one person I trust to do this. One person in the world who I know can look after them and will make sure nothing happens to them. That's you."

Haley was crying. Her best friend was leaving and she knew she couldn't stop it. He was going to go. Of course she would stay. Of course she would look after Karen and Lily. They were like a second family to her.

They both stood at the same time. Haley threw her arms around her friend. She remembered when they were smaller. The first time she'd hugged him came as a surprise. Now he loved hugs from Haley. She was his best friend. She was his sister before he actually had a sister.

"You know I'll look after them," she vowed. "I promise. You don't have to worry about them."

"I know, Hales. I know you'll look after them."

* * *

><p>They stood outside the café a month later. Lucas had Keith's car. Keith had wanted him to have it. His and Nathan's things were in the back. Dan knew that Lucas and Nathan now were on speaking terms. He had to have known when Nathan ran to Lucas's house the night of the murders. He didn't say anything. He saw Nathan before he left for work that morning and simply told him to concentrate on baseball. Dan hadn't even acknowledged that Lucas was going with him.<p>

There were a few customers inside as Karen, Haley, and Lily stood on the sidewalk with Nathan and Lucas. Nathan stood back. This wasn't his goodbye. There wasn't anyone to say goodbye to him or wish him luck. The one person who cared was the person coming with him.

"I'm coming with you." Everyone turned their heads to see Peyton approaching them with a suitcase in hand. Without waiting for a response, she opened the back door and put her case inside. She turned to look at everyone. Defiant, her hands were on her hips.

"I need to get out of this town. My dad is hardly ever home and I need a change of scenery. I'll be living with you two so you'll have to share a room in that little place you rented. I don't care what anyone says about a woman living with two men. They can mind their own damn business. Nathan, I know you've been through a lot lately, but I still don't like you very much. So, we'll keep our distance from each other. I'll pull my own weight, so don't worry about taking care of me."

Lucas and Nathan looked at each other. Lucas knew that his plan just got even more complicated.

Haley couldn't help the sadness that overcame her. She was already sad to be losing Lucas, but now her closest friend after him was leaving too. They were all leaving and moving on with their lives without her.

Nathan looked at her. He could see that she was disappointed and he inwardly cursed at Peyton for leaving her alone. Nathan knew that she had promised to look after Karen and Lily. Lucas had told him about it. Now she was being left alone with that responsibility. Nathan kept silent. He was staring at his shoes when he noticed a shadow on the ground. He looked up and there she was, standing right in front of him.

"I hope you realize just what he's doing for you," she said. Her voice was low. He was sure the others couldn't hear them. Lucas and Karen were discussing things with Peyton. Nathan saw the sincerity in this girl's eyes. She cared for his brother very much. Nathan didn't have the chance to answer. She spoke again, "Goodbye, Nathan. Good luck with everything."

She placed a gentle hand on his arm before leaving. Nathan looked down at the spot where she had touched him as she walked away. He saw her hug Peyton and Lucas. There were tears in her eyes.

"Nathan," Karen got his attention. She and the baby were now in front of him. They'd still never had an actual conversation. "I've already told Lucas this, but now I'm telling you. If you need anything, you call me. Do you hear me?"

He nodded.

"Okay. Stay safe, Nathan. I'm sure you'll do wonderful things up in Durham," she said with certainty.

He had thought no one would say goodbye to him. He thought that he had no one. Those two women loved Lucas and Nathan had made Lucas's life hell. He could see clearly that they were good people. These were people he wished he'd grown up with. He thought about that as the three of them drove out of Tree Hill.

Haley stood on the sidewalk after Karen had gone back inside the café. The June air was warm, but she felt chilled. She felt like a piece of her had gone. She didn't want to be selfish, but she felt as though everyone else was moving on with life except for her. She didn't regret her promise, but she was suddenly feeling very lonely.

"Haley James," a cheerful, raspy voice interrupted Haley's thoughts. She turned her attention in the direction of that voice and caught sight of a vibrant looking Brooke Davis.

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> Okay. There's some bad news. It's going to be some time before Nathan and Haley are in the same city together. They both have to go through some stuff before they get there. They will, though; I promise. This is a Naley story, after all. You will also find out why exactly Nathan is looking at Haley the way he does. I don't know how long it'll be before they get to spending time together. A lot has to happen before they do. I'm working on it, though. Thank you again for reading and reviewing! Also, I think any question as to whether I'm going with Brucas or Leyton was answered in this chapter. ;)


	3. Does It Ever Stop Hurting?

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Note:** I didn't plan on it taking this log to update. Sorry about that. So, Nathan and Haley are still miles apart. I have to keep them apart to get them together. You'll see. Those of you who felt bad for Haley, well... Anyway, thank you for the kind words and reviews! I love reading them!

* * *

><p>Haley sat in the corner of the café at a small table for two. Business wasn't slow. Business was dead. It had been several months since Lucas had left with Nathan and Peyton. It was December now and it was slightly chilly. The short sleeves of Haley's uniform didn't keep her warm enough, but she wasn't complaining. A job was a job even if there were no customers. No customers meant no tips, but at least she was getting paid by Karen.<p>

Still, Haley felt it couldn't last. With business going so slowly, Haley knew that Karen couldn't afford to keep her much longer. Finding another job would be difficult. She knew she'd get a glowing recommendation from Karen. Hopefully that would help.

Haley still came to work every day. She did her job well. At the moment, she was refilling the sugar. She was careful not to spill any, knowing they couldn't afford to waste anything and thus lose money. Haley understood how Karen struggled with the café. The café would continue. Keith's garage was still in business. Karen was running the business end of things while Keith's employees continued doing their jobs. The café was just too slow to justify an extra employee. Haley knew that Karen would keep her employed there as long as she could. In the meantime, Haley was looking in the paper to see if anyone else was hiring. So far, the only thing she'd seen was an ad for a singer wanted at Dan Scott's nightclub.

Haley was just finishing the last of the sugar when Brooke came bouncing into the café. It had been this way since the day that Lucas left. Brooke had come up to her. Haley hadn't even realized that Brooke knew who she was. Brooke Davis was the most popular girl in school. At one point, Haley had believed that Brooke was the female equivalent of Nathan. That was before she spent an evening comforting Nathan and before she got to know Brooke.

Now, Haley and Brooke were friends. Haley hadn't expected it at all. The first two weeks, Brooke just kept coming by the café. She would order something to drink. Eventually, Haley would give her some pie. They talked and now they were friends. Brooke had come as a surprise to Haley. In truth, she believed that Brooke was a little lonely. Haley didn't know why that was. Brooke had had so many friends in school and now, whenever Haley saw her, she was alone. If Haley was being honest with herself, she was also lonely. The best part of her slow shifts were when Brooke came to visit and the two would just talk.

Brooke would often sketch while she sat in the café. She was also getting to know Karen and the three would often just talk. Brooke was designing her own dresses. She wanted to design and sell them in her own boutique. Haley didn't know much about fashion other than the fact that she couldn't afford most of it. The sketches Brooke drew were beautiful. Haley could see that. The dresses were gorgeous and Haley knew if she could afford it, she would love to wear one of them someday.

"That one looks beautiful, Brooke." Haley momentarily looked up from her task to see what Brooke was drawing. The gown was a champagne color with a V neckline and jeweled clasps holding up the straps. Haley looked at the figure that Brooke had wearing the dress. Normally, the women Brooke drew had no faces, but not this time. Haley looked and saw a pair of brown eyes and a sad smile.

"Thanks, Tutor Girl. It would look great on you," Brooke said, looking up at her friend. She hadn't even been aware that she was drawing Haley. "How's your mom doing?"

Haley shrugged. "She's still sick. She's still in bed. Dr. Durham comes by to see her daily, which is nice of him. We can't really afford to pay him."

Brooke winced at Haley's mention of money. It was a sore subject for Brooke. She knew that Haley often went without. She admired the strength she saw in her new friend. Haley was someone who worked hard and had been working hard since she was able to. Brooke wished that she could be that strong. The more time she spent with Haley, the more she was glad that she took a chance and approached her.

"Everything will turn out fine, Haley," Brooke said, sympathetically.

Haley tried to hold in her emotions. With each passing day, her mother got worse. It was pneumonia. Dr. Durham had told them that Lydia's lungs were filled with fluid, making it more and more difficult for her to breath. Haley wished that she could stay with her throughout the day, but she had to work. Her family relied on the money to pay their bills and for groceries. It was important that Haley work.

She was grateful for Brooke. Brooke was good at helping Haley take her mind off of things. She still wondered why Brooke had approached her that day. As grateful as she was for it, she still wanted to know.

"Brooke, can I ask you something?" Haley decided that she should just go ahead and ask. Brooke was blunt. She spoke her mind and Haley admired that about her. For much of her life, Haley had sat back and let things go. Occasionally, she stood her ground. She stood up for her friends. Her treatment of Nathan was proof of that.

"Anything, Tutor Girl." Brooke had given Haley a nickname on only their second day as friends. It had come from her tongue as naturally as anything. When Haley looked at her quizzically, Brooke explained that she knew that Haley had been a tutor during school.

Haley proceeded cautiously. She didn't want to insult the girl who had forced herself into her life and had become such an important part of it. "That day, when I was standing out in front of the café, why did you come up to me?"

Brooke stopped sketching. She put her pencil and her sketch pad down. Her green eyes showed worry.

Haley felt bad for asking. She didn't want Brooke to think that she didn't value their friendship. She really did. "You know what? Nevermind. I'm glad you did," Haley smiled.

Brooke watched as Haley returned to her work. She watched Haley's small, but capable hands. As clumsy as she discovered that Haley was, she knew the girl took great care with her job. She took a chance walking up to Haley that day. She wasn't worried about whether or not she would like Haley. She was worried that Haley wouldn't like her.

"I was lonely," Brooke said, finally, after several moments of silence.

Haley put down the sugar and looked at Brooke sympathetically. She rested her chin on her folded hands, her elbows were against the cool, smooth surface of the table. Brooke Davis, the girl who was constantly surrounded by people in school, had been lonely.

"Peyton was my best friend," Brooke continued. "She was my best friend and then she wasn't. It's my own fault."

Haley knew that Brooke and Peyton had been close. That was before Peyton had started to spend time with Lucas and Haley. Haley hadn't asked Peyton about it and she wasn't sure if Lucas had.

"I knew about Nathan and Theresa," Brooke explained. She kept her eyes on her sketch pad, focusing on the texture of the paper. "I knew about it and I didn't say anything to her. He betrayed her and I did too." Brooke looked around at the empty café. She didn't want anyone else hearing her confession. She trusted Haley. Her instincts about the other girl had been right. Haley was someone that she knew she could tell. Haley might be disappointed, but she wouldn't judge her. Now that Brooke was friends with Haley, she couldn't imagine not being friends with Haley.

She could have kept the truth from Haley, but something about her made Brooke want to be honest. Brooke wanted to confess and more specifically, she wanted to confess to Haley. She thought that Haley was the bravest person she had known. She was strong. She kept going even though her best friend had left and now that her mother was ill. Brooke didn't know if Haley's mother would recover. She had met Lydia James a few times. She didn't go to Haley's house often. It was hard on them. Brooke didn't want to be in the way, so she usually met Haley at the café while the girl worked. Brooke had meant what she said when she told Haley that she believed everything would be fine. No matter what happened, Brooke believed that Haley could handle it. Brooke wanted to be there for her no matter what. She was worried that she wouldn't be able to. She worried about that often with everything going on in her life.

One of the reasons that she wanted to confess to Haley was that she had lied to Peyton, her best friend. She didn't want to make the same mistake again. She also wanted to make sure that Haley knew that Brooke would always be honest with her. Brooke wanted to tell Haley in her own way that she wouldn't hide from her or leave her. Brooke wished that the two had become friends sooner. Brooke, however, knew that the person she had been a year earlier wasn't good enough to be Haley's friend. Now she was trying to be good enough to be Haley's friend.

"Peyton knew me better than anyone. As shallow as I am, Peyton got me. She knew the real me and she was the only one. I lost her and it was my fault. I guess I was lonely. You looked lonely too. I saw you standing there and I thought that I really needed a friend and maybe you did too. I don't want it to sound like I'm using you, Haley. I'm not. You're my friend. I wouldn't do that."

Haley thought about what Brooke had said. Brooke could have lied and Haley wouldn't have been any wiser to the real reason Brooke had for approaching her. She was glad Brooke felt that she could be honest with her. She respected Brooke for it.

"I'm glad you did," Haley told her. She gave Brooke a small smile before turning her attention back to her work. With all of the stress in Haley's life, she was very glad to have Brooke Davis as her friend.

The radio crackled in the background of the café. Haley's attention turned to the door when the bell rang. She stood up when a customer walked in. He had his head down slightly, the brim of his hat covering his eyes. She halted when he looked up. She knew those eyes. Both of his sons had them. She was unsure of what to do about his being here. As far as she knew, he had never come in before. She straightened her apron out and pulled her pencil from her pocket. He walked up to the counter and Haley walked behind it. For some reason, she felt safer with the counter between them. She was about to open her mouth to ask him if he'd like anything when Karen came out from the kitchen.

Karen wiped her hands with a dish towel before setting it down at the end of the counter. Her eyes never left Dan Scott. He held his hat in his hand and looked at her. She didn't say anything. Haley felt like she was intruding. She took a few steps back as Karen stepped in front of Dan.

"I came by to see how you were doing," Dan finally spoke. "We haven't spoken since everything happened."

Karen stared at him incredulously. "You came by to see how I was doing? After everything? After eighteen years?"

Karen stopped when she heard a cry from upstairs. She tore her eyes away from Dan. Before she could turn around, Haley stopped her. "I'll get her," she offered.

"Karen, I didn't mean to open up old wounds," Dan said after Haley had left the room. "If you need anything, please let me know. I'd like to help if I can."

Karen shook her head. She turned around when she heard footsteps coming. Haley came back, carrying Lily in her arms. The girl wasn't crying, but she did look upset.

"She wanted her mommy," Haley explained. She handed Lily to her mother and noticed Dan watching them. Much like with his youngest son, Haley couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"She's beautiful," Dan said softly.

"She has her father's eyes," Karen said, staring Dan down.

"I won't bother you anymore. I meant what I said Karen. If you need anything." Dan walked back toward the door, but looked back once more when he heard someone singing along with the radio. He noticed the young girl at a table in the corner. He had seen her with Lucas. He had seen her at Keith's funeral. He realized that she must be close to Karen and Lucas. He briefly wondered if she had known his brother. He watched as she sang quietly and once again had the little girl, his brother's little girl, in her arms. When she looked back at him, he finally went to the door and walked out.

Haley smiled down at Lily before looking at Karen. She stopped singing when Dan had left. Lily was now calm as could be. "Karen, are you all right?"

Karen was staring at the door. "Yes. I'm fine. I can take her, Haley. She'll come spend time with mommy in the kitchen." Karen reached for Lily.

As Haley was handing the girl over, Marvin McFadden ran into the café. He was out of breath and clutching his side. Marvin, who was known as Mouth to his friends, had been friends with Lucas. When Lucas and some of the other boys played baseball, Mouth would sit on the sidelines offering commentary. Haley would sit with him. Mouth wanted to be a sports columnist.

"Haley, you have to come quick. I was with your father at work when your brother came to get him. It's your mom."

The color drained from Haley's face and her eyes went wide. "What happened?"

Mouth shook his head. "I don't know, but Eli went to fetch the doc and then your dad. Apparently, your sister was at the house with your mom." With Lydia James so sick, some of Haley's siblings had come home to help out. Quinn and Eli James, twins, sat with Lydia during the day. Jimmy had to work. He was lucky to have to job. Haley also had to work. She was also looking after Lydia during the night while the others caught up on their sleep.

"Go," Karen told her. "Take care of your mother."

With a nod, Haley grabbed her coat from the rack by the door and ran out with Mouth on her heels.

* * *

><p>Nathan swung the bat hard, putting his foot forward, and throwing his body into the pitch. With a crack, the ball went swinging into left field. He had been practicing for months since he arrived at Duke. Baseball season wouldn't begin for another few months, but the team spent all year preparing for it. Nathan and a few other teammates were now practicing on their own time. Nathan spent a lot of time practicing. It helped keep his mind off of things.<p>

Lucas had been right. Nathan was learning that his brother often was right. Getting away from Dan was the best thing that Nathan could do. He still thought about what happened every day. He remembered what it was like hearing the gun go off, he remembered what it was like seeing his mom and his uncle on the floor, and he remembered how detached his father had been through everything. Swinging a bat was a good way for Nathan to relieve some of his frustrations. As he swung the bat, he could focus on baseball. He didn't have anything else plaguing his thoughts. Somehow, Lucas had known that was what he needed.

After practicing, Nathan quietly walked back to the small house that Lucas and Peyton were staying in. It had two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a small living room. Even though Nathan had a place to stay in the dorms, he found himself spending much of his time at Lucas and Peyton's. The house was rural, nestled near the Eno River. Nathan had to walk through a small clearing just off the main road and through some trees to reach the dirt path that led to the house. Nathan realized that for several reasons, it was good that they were hidden. Neighbors would have raised an eyebrow at an unmarried young man and woman living together.

Peyton had managed to find a job in a record store. She happened to be walking by just as the owner was putting a sign in the window looking for an employee. She had walked in, took the sign from the window, and told the owner he had found his new employee.

Lucas also tried finding work before deciding that he needed to do something to further his and Nathan's plan. The plan was still to make Dan pay for what he had done. With that in mind, Lucas was now working with the Durham Police Department. He was now training to be a police officer. He was working long hours, which meant that Nathan was spending many awkward hours with Peyton at the house. Most of the time, she ignored him. He was quiet, anyway.

Nathan had changed in the past several months. He didn't attend parties, despite his teammates requests that he come with them. He hadn't dated and he had stopped drinking. He mostly kept to himself when he was at school. Afterward, he spent time at Lucas and Peyton's house. Nathan and Lucas had done what they could to keep Peyton in the dark, but with little success. She figured out early on that they were up to something. Lucas had explained everything to her. Nathan suspected that his brother had feelings for Peyton, but he wasn't sure where she stood.

It had taken some adjusting, but Nathan now thought of Lucas as his brother. The two were very close. Lucas was the one Nathan would talk to on the days that things got really bad. Lucas was the one Nathan would talk to the mornings after Nathan woke up from nightmares. He barely spoke to Peyton. Part of him was too ashamed to.

He walked in the house and set his bag near the door. He saw Peyton sitting on the sofa. She had the record player on and she was sketching. He walked into the kitchen and grabbed a glass before getting some water from the tap. He watched Peyton. He didn't speak to her and she didn't speak to him. He knew that Lucas noticed the tension. Peyton understood what Nathan was going through, but she still didn't like him. He didn't blame her. Still, they were all in such close quarters now. They all shared a very big secret.

Nathan had been thinking about what he should do for a while now. He had made amends with Lucas. He had a brother now. Lucas had told him that that itself was a victory over Dan. Dan had tried to keep the brothers apart and failed. Now, because of something Dan had done, the two brothers would forever have that bond and that trust.

Nathan took his glass and carefully sat next to Peyton on the sofa. He didn't want to shake the sofa much so he didn't disturb her sketching. He noticed her posture tense when he sat down. He looked down at the plain wood floor. He knew she wasn't looking at him, but he could no longer hear her pencil moving across the paper.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry for what I did to you. You didn't deserve it. No one does. I was lousy to you and I am sorry for hurting you, Peyton."

Peyton set her sketchpad and pencil on the table in front of them, but still didn't look at Nathan. He didn't look at her either.

"That's the first time you've ever said that and I believed you," Peyton told him. He had apologized before. He had said it immediately after she found out, but he hadn't been entirely sincere. Now he was. "And I'm sorry you're going through all of this, Nathan."

"Does it ever stop hurting?" He didn't have to specify what he meant. He knew she would know.

This time Peyton did look at him. She shrugged even though he wasn't looking at her. "It gets a little easier, but it doesn't stop hurting." Her own mother had been gone for a while now. Peyton missed her every day. "I mean, how do you get over losing the person who gave you life?"

Nathan nodded. "Yeah." He leaned forward and picked up the newspaper that was sitting on the table. He pulled out the Sports page and held it in his hands. He could see in the column on the right that their sports columnist was contemplating Duke's chances this season. He didn't read it. He didn't need to. He was focused. Focusing was all he could do to keep from going crazy.

"Do you think she's okay?" His voice was nearly a whisper.

"Your mom? Nathan, she's-"

"No. Not my mom. I know she's gone, Peyton. I'm not stupid. I mean… I mean Haley." Nathan felt embarrassed for asking. He had thought about her. She was kind. It was something that had stayed with him in the months since they'd be gone. He would have nightmares, but some nights, some nights, he would stay asleep. The nightmares would come, but then she would come to him in his dreams. She would take his hands in her own and he would feel better. He would continue sleeping as if nothing happened. When he did wake up, he would think of her. He would remember her kindness. It was beautiful. She was beautiful.

"Nathan, why are you thinking about Haley James? Does Lucas know about this?"

Nathan winced. Lucas didn't know. Nathan didn't have the courage to ask him. Peyton felt safer. She might understand that Haley had made him feel better. She knew what it was like to lose her mother. Nathan had been telling himself that that's what it was. Haley had made him feel better. As he told himself that, he remembered how she looked as they drove off, leaving her on the sidewalk. She was back in Tree Hill and he was sure that she was looking after Karen and Lily just as she'd promised.

He didn't want to tell Peyton about his dreams. He didn't want her thinking that he was crazy. She already didn't like him. "She was, well, that night she was nice to me. I ran to Luke's and she was there. She was nice to me. She and Lucas came to my mom's funeral. I was just wondering."

Peyton watched him. His bravado was gone. The arrogance was no longer there. Sitting next to her was a shell of the Nathan that she had dated earlier in the year. There was nothing about the young man sitting next to her that was insincere. This was the first time she had seen him actually interested in a girl. He wasn't asking because he wanted anything out of Haley; she could see that clearly. He was actually interested in her well being.

"Well, she's okay, I guess," Peyton answered. She wasn't sure what to tell him. "She's written a few times. She's been working for Karen, but I don't think she will be much longer."

That caught Nathan by surprise. He knew that Haley was looking after Karen and Lily. "How come?"

"Well, Karen can't afford it. I think she's worried about it, but Haley would never mention it. She's strong, but she also doesn't like to worry anyone. She knows Lucas has a lot on his plate right now. If she tells me, she has to tell him. Her mom has been sick. I'm not sure what's going on, but I'm sure she'll be fine."

"They're close, her and her mom," Nathan stated. He didn't have to ask. He didn't know much about Haley. They had never even officially met. He felt it, though. He felt that they were close.

"Yeah. The whole family. There's a lot of them and they look after each other."

Nathan hadn't given much thought to her family. Obviously, she had family. He felt she would be close to them. Somehow, knowing that she had a large family made him feel better about things. "That's good. She's not alone."

Peyton tried to figure out what was going on in her ex-boyfriend's head. She couldn't figure it out. She didn't understand why his sudden concern over Haley and his worry over whether or not she was alone.

"You really are not the same lousy jerk that that I dated," Peyton marveled.

Nathan took a sip of his water. "I guess I'm not." He looked at her and tried to smile. "I really am sorry for hurting you, Peyton."

She shrugged. "I'm over it. I've moved on."

"With Lucas?" Nathan couldn't stop the question from coming from his lips. He had noticed before they left town that Lucas and Peyton were close. He saw the way his brother looked at Peyton.

Peyton was at a loss for words. She didn't know how to answer that. She didn't even know that Nathan was that observant. "We're friends," she finally said.

"If that's your story," he said. He picked up the newspaper again, tapping it against his knee. "You two like each other. I don't think you should have come with me. But, you two like each other. So, that's nice. You should both be happy."

"You're stuck with us now," she avoided his comments about Lucas. "Anyway, I guess it'll be my turn to cook tonight. He's probably hungry," she said.

"Yeah, probably. You know how Lucas gets when he gets in."

"Like you're any different," Peyton laughed. It was different laughing with Nathan. During the past few months, she knew how tense things had been. This would be better. She had to give him credit for coming to her and apologizing. If he could do it and be sincere, then she could make an effort as well.

The three of them had been taking turns cooking. None of them were great at it, but it was keeping them fed. Everything they made was pretty basic and much of it ended up charred. Peyton walked into the kitchen, which was opened to the living room. She began moving around and preparing food. Nathan turned on their radio, then returned to the sofa. He heard the announcer talking about what was going on in Europe and speculating that the U.S. would eventually get involved in the war.

Peyton looked over at Nathan. "I know you hated it in high school, but maybe you should try to study," she suggested.

"You're right. I hated it. I'm lousy at it."

"Still, you've got to keep your grades up to keep your scholarship."

"You're probably right. If I mess up, Dan'll probably come up here. I want to keep him far away."

Peyton was about to respond when Lucas came into the house. He loosened the tie that was part of his uniform before taking a seat on the sofa next to his brother. He began flipping through the mail that he'd picked up on his way in the house.

"Letter from my mom," he announced. He tore the envelope open and unfolded the sheet of paper. His eyes scanned the letter, which was covered in his mother's neat script. As he reached the end of the first page, his expression turned grave. He sat up straight and stared at the words on the page.

Nathan immediately noticed the change in Lucas. "What's the matter?"

"Lydia," Lucas said softly.

Peyton stopped what she was doing and turned around. "What happened?"

"Who's Lydia?" Nathan was feeling a little lost.

Remembering her earlier conversation with Nathan, Peyton answered. "She's Haley's mom."

Nathan looked back to Lucas. He was dreading what his brother was about to tell him.

* * *

><p>Brooke walked into Karen's Café and looked around for her friend. She didn't think that she would be there with everything going on, but she still hoped. She needed to say goodbye. She noticed that there were several customers. It was the fullest that Brooke had seen the café in a while.<p>

"Brooke, come on in," Karen beckoned.

Brooke nodded and took a seat at the counter instead of at a table. "No Haley?"

Karen shook her head. "No. She'll be back when she's ready."

Brooke sighed and lowered her head, trying to keep her composure.

"You know, Brooke, you could go over there. I'm sure she'd love to see you. It might help."

"She's got her whole family there, Karen. They've been through so much with Mrs. James. I don't want to intrude."

"You know you wouldn't be. When we lose someone close, it just helps knowing that someone is thinking of us."

"I don't want to bother her, Karen." Brooke sat as Karen delivered a few plates of food to some customers. She was still trying to keep her composure, but she felt the tears coming to her eyes. She didn't even notice when Karen sat right next to her. She felt the older woman place a hand on her shoulder.

"What's going on, Brooke?"

Brooke didn't want to bother anyone with her problems, but the minute Karen asked, Brooke couldn't stop herself. She just began to speak. "My dad lost his job a few months ago and he and my mom want us to go to California. There might be a job for him there at some airplane factory or something in their offices. They're making me move. I told them that I didn't want to go and that Tree Hill is home and that I have friends here but they said Peyton left and I told them about Haley but they wouldn't listen. I don't want to go but I can't live on my own yet. I just started designing my gowns, but no one has the money to buy them and I started helping with some of the tailoring around town and Mrs. Cunningham has been coming to me regularly but it isn't enough."

Karen tried not to feel overwhelmed by everything Brooke was telling her. She had also grown fond of the girl who spent her afternoons in the café with Haley. She really was a lovely girl and Karen could see how much this was troubling her. Karen thought about the house she lived in. It was just her and Lily. Lucas's room was empty. Karen had been feeling like she could do little to help Haley in her time of need and now saw an opportunity. Haley would need her friend around. She had already lost Lucas and Peyton. Karen had hoped that when she wrote to Lucas about Lydia's death that he would come home to be with his friend, but so far he hadn't. Karen would hate to see Haley lose Brooke as well.

"Brooke, if you had somewhere to stay, would your parents allow it?"

Brooke let out an unladylike snort. "I'm surprised they want me to come at all. Half the time they forget I'm even around. If I had somewhere to stay it wouldn't matter to them. I just can't afford to live on my own."

"Well, you won't be on your own. I do expect you to keep things clean, to come and go at decent hours, and to help around the house. You can also contribute to groceries with what you make from your sewing and your gowns. You can have Lucas's room."

Brooke's eyes went wide and without thinking, she enveloped Karen in a hug. She let out a loud sob, getting the attention of some of Karen's customers.

"Karen, you don't have to do that. I'm taking you up on your offer, but you don't have to. I swear, I'll be the best roommate you've ever had and you and Lily will love having me there. If you need help at the café, just ask and I'll try not to break dishes and drop food. I really didn't want to have to go to Haley's house and tell her goodbye. She doesn't have Lucas and Peyton here and now she lost her mom and all of her brothers and sisters are home and she doesn't need to hear my problems."

Karen nodded and pried herself out of Brooke's arms. "Brooke, I think that you and I both have something very important in common and that is Haley. She's quite something."

Brooke nodded. "She's become my best friend. I really didn't want to leave her." Brooke picked up a napkin and blew her nose. She felt so much better than she had when she first walked into the café. "You know, I hear her singing to Lily a lot. She has such a beautiful voice."

"She does," Karen stood up and went behind the counter. She poured Brooke a cup of coffee.

"I'll let you get back to work. Thank you, Karen. Thank you." Brooke stood up and had a genuine smile on her face.

* * *

><p>Haley sat on her bed, leaning against the headboard and staring at the wall on the opposite side. She looked at the snapshots she had on the wall. They were worn and some had creases in them. The black and white images in them were memories of happier times. She saw one of her and Lucas from two years earlier. He had his arm around her and both were smiling. Another was a picture of her mother with her sisters.<p>

Haley couldn't help the empty feeling she felt inside of her. Her mother had been ill for a while. Haley honestly didn't think that she would die. She knew she was having trouble fighting the illness. Eli and Quinn had been there for her and having them back home seemed to brighten Lydia's spirits. When Mouth had come to get her, she had run home as quickly as she could. Her mother was still alive. She rushed to her bedside and got to tell her that she loved her. She begged her to keep fighting. For hours, Lydia was in and out of consciousness until she wasn't any longer. She was just gone. Surrounded by her husband and three of her children, she took her final breath.

Haley was the youngest. She was the only one of the James children who was still at home. She couldn't afford to live on her own and if she could, she wouldn't want to. She wanted to stay near her parents. They were so close. Haley was especially close to Lydia. Lydia was the one who taught Haley to be the woman that she was. Now, she wasn't there anymore.

Haley continued to stare at the wall and wiped away a few tears that had fallen. She had shared that room with her sister Taylor before Taylor left home. Now it was all hers. She didn't move her eyes when the door opened. All six of her siblings walked into the room. Haley had been locked in there for much of the time since Lydia had died. She came out for the funeral. Other than that, she stayed in her room alone. Her family brought her food and tried to talk to her, but it never changed anything. They'd never all come in at once.

Quinn and Vivian took a seat on either side of Haley, the three of them squished on her small bed. Taylor sat at the end of it and her brothers leaned against the wall.

"So, Haley Bob, we were talking," Ned opened. He was the oldest. He lived in Raleigh with his wife and their son. "We were thinking it might be good for you to get away for a while. You're welcome to come stay with Kate and me for as long as you want."

"And if Raleigh doesn't sound right, you can come with me to Norfolk," Vivian offered.

Haley paid attention to what they were telling her. What did she have left in Tree Hill? Their intentions were good, but they were asking her to leave everything she knew. She again looked at the pictures on the wall and she looked specifically at Lucas's smiling face. She remembered what she promised him. She wasn't going to leave their dad all alone and she wasn't going to break her promise to Lucas. The daughter that Lydia James raised wouldn't break a promise or leave Jimmy James alone in his grief. Haley knew that their father was hurting. Her parents had been so in love. She always thought that when she fell in love, she wanted the man she loved to love her the way her father loved her mother. Completely. She wanted to be so completely consumed by love the way her parents were. No, her father couldn't be left alone. She wouldn't do that to him. She wouldn't leave Karen and Lily. She also didn't want to leave Brooke.

Haley bit her lip. "I love you all for offering, but I'm going to stay in Tree Hill. It's home. It's always been home, and it's where dad is."

"Dad will be fine, Hales," Seth explained to her.

"Maybe so. I'm not leaving him alone, though. I'm also not leaving Karen and Lily. They've been through so much this year."

Vivian took Haley's hand in hers. "And what about what you're going through?"

Haley shook her head. "This is home, Vivian. I'll be fine. I just need some time. I'm not leaving," she repeated. She had people here who needed her. As empty as she felt and as painful as the loss of her mother was, she had people who needed her. She made a promise that she intended to keep. She knew how close Lucas was to his mother and she trusted him. He couldn't tell her what was going on, but she trusted him. In asking her to look after his mother and sister, he had trusted her with everything that was most important to him. No. She wouldn't be leaving Tree Hill anytime soon.

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> Yeah, poor Haley. She's going through a lot. So is Nathan. I hope I can update quicker this next time. By the way, if you read my previous story, _Your Hand in Mine_, I'm going to be using the same names for Haley's brothers (Eli, Ned, and Seth). So, thank you for reading! I really appreciate it. I'll be working on getting Naley in the same city soon. :)


	4. She Still Worried

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Notes:** I'm still setting things up. I know this story has taken some patience before, so I wanted to thank you all for that. It's taking some of my patience to write it. We are moving things along, though. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! Also, there still seems to be some question as to who Lucas is paired up with in this. It's Leyton. I actually don't like Brucas and love Brulian, so Lucas is with Peyton in this. You'll see more of that here.

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><p>Nathan stood poised on third base, ready to run for home if his teammate hit the ball. Duke was in the playoffs. If they won this game, they'd be playing for the championship. They had worked hard for this. Once the season began, Nathan focused even harder on his game. Lucas and Peyton tried to come to as many as they could. It was hard with the two of them working so often. They weren't at this game. Nathan kept his eye on the player currently at bat, but occasionally looked into the stands. Dan Scott had driven up to Durham for this game. He was quiet. Nathan wondered if he realized that he didn't have as much pull at a college game as he did at the high school games.<p>

Nathan watched as his teammate, Martin, swung the bat. The umpire called it a strike and Nathan muttered a curse under his breath. The game was tied. If he could just get one run, it would give them a little more room. The sooner the game ended, the sooner Dan would be gone. Nathan didn't like having him there. Nathan had been so focused these past few months. He had been away from Dan for nearly a year and even though Nathan hated the circumstances, he was realizing that being away from Dan was the best thing for him.

Now, though, Dan was there. His presence was like a dark cloud. He was the reason that Lucas and Peyton weren't at the game. They didn't want to tip him off about anything. That meant that Nathan had to do his best to keep his cool and not let his anger get the better of him. It was hard. When he looked at his dad, he saw him standing in his house, shooting his mother and his uncle. He wanted him to pay.

Lucas was in charge of overseeing that plan. He was trying to go through the proper channels. Those were the words he used. Lucas was now a police officer in Durham. He was working hard and he hoped that eventually, he would be able to transfer to Tree Hill. Their plan hadn't made it much further than that.

Martin swung again and struck out. Nathan walked back to the dugout to take a seat. He would be sitting this inning out. Another member of the team would be pitching. Before he sat down, he couldn't help but notice the disgusted look on Dan's face. His father found it unacceptable that Nathan wasn't pitching. Nathan understood what was going on. He was just in his first year at Duke and hadn't earned that spot yet. He wanted to play. He really did. Playing helped him take his mind off of things. If he was alone with his thoughts for too long, he went a little crazy. That was why he spent most of his time at Lucas and Peyton's. He couldn't do that with Dan there. He had spent the last few nights in his dorm and he hated it.

Nathan hadn't had a peaceful night of sleep since his mother died. He was sure he wouldn't have one again until Dan paid for his crime. Until the world knew what Dan Scott had done to his wife and brother, Nathan knew that he wouldn't be sleeping well. Still, it was a little better at Peyton and Lucas's. It was a little better there because that's where he usually was when she came to him in his dreams. She never came when he stayed in the dorm. He had wondered if it was because of the safety he felt being around his brother. Maybe he felt a connection between the safety of being with Lucas and the warmth he'd gotten that night from Haley.

Nathan watched as his teammates took the field. Their pitcher wasn't doing well. He's already let two players get on bases. Nathan was frustrated as he watched. He couldn't see Dan behind him, but he could feel him. He knew his father and, somehow, Dan would blame Nathan for this. Nathan's leg began bouncing up and down as the player from the opposing team managed to steal third base. As Nathan continued to watch, the batter hit the ball. The man on third made a run for it and before the player in right field could get the ball to the catcher, the opposite team had scored. Just like that, the game was over. Duke was done for the season.

Nathan had his elbows resting on his knees and he put his head in his hands. He stared down at his cleats, which were covered in dirt. His teammates were all grumbling. Some of them were expressing their hopes for the next season. One of them threw his glove. Nathan tried ignoring them. He had spent the entire time he'd been at Duke focused on baseball. Now what was he supposed to do? What was he supposed to think about all the time? He would just have to continue to practice. Lucas would help him. He would work on that and try to avoid going back to Tree Hill for the summer.

Nathan was the last to leave the dugout. He hoisted his bag over his shoulder and grimaced when he saw Dan waiting for him. Dan had a scowl on his face. Nathan slowly approached him. In his head, he was telling himself to keep calm. He told himself what Lucas had told him countless times. Getting angry at Dan wouldn't accomplish anything. Dan needed to think that he was getting away with it. If Dan knew that Nathan had seen him that night, Nathan could be in danger. Nathan closed his eyes.

"And why weren't you pitching?" Dan's voice was dripping with disdain.

Nathan's fist clenched around the strap of his bag. He realized that his knuckles were probably turning white. "Coach thought that Morris should do it. It's his last season here."

"If you'd worked harder and pushed yourself like I've been telling you, you would have proven yourself an asset and he would have had no choice but to put you in that game."

Nathan answered without thinking, "I'll train all summer, dad. I won't take a break."

"Damn right you won't. I'm starting to think that you're going soft without me around. I have to get back to Tree Hill."

"You're not staying?" Nathan thought for sure that Dan would stay a little longer. He thought he might yell some more.

"What reason do I have to stay here? I have more important things to do," Dan dismissed his son.

Nathan watched Dan's retreating form. He felt relief wash over him. He wouldn't have to put up that façade around Dan anymore. He could go back to staying with Lucas and Peyton without worrying about Dan finding him there. They did not want Dan around that house. They didn't even want Dan knowing that that house existed.

Nathan decided he wouldn't go back there until the next day. He would go back to his dorm for the night and wait until he was sure that Dan was gone. He could be strong and stay away for one more night. He was going to beat Dan. That's what all of this came down to. He was going to beat Dan.

* * *

><p>Walking into the house the next day, Nathan wasn't surprised to find Lucas with his arm around Peyton. It was Lucas's day off, so he would be relaxing at home. Lucas and Peyton had gotten closer in the past few months. Nathan was pretty sure that they were dating, but they hadn't confirmed it.<p>

"Is Dan gone?" Lucas looked up at Nathan. He didn't move from his spot on the sofa.

Nathan nodded his head and took a seat in the chair near the sofa.

"Sorry about the game yesterday," Peyton told him. She looked at him sympathetically. They had also gotten closer in the past few months. Ever since he apologized, they had become friends. She was very understanding when it came to Nathan. He felt closer to her. The two of them could relate since they had both lost their mothers.

"So, little brother," Lucas used the nickname he'd begun to use to refer to Nathan, "is he gonna make you go back for the summer?" Lucas had been dreading this. He knew that Nathan needed to be away from Dan. Nathan was quieter, he was more pensive. But he was a kinder person now that he was away from Dan. Lucas knew that Nathan was sad and that he felt lost. He realized that Nathan threw himself into baseball because of everything going on with Dan. Playing baseball was a way for Nathan to avoid his problems. He couldn't avoid them forever, but at least he was getting closer to his brother. Lucas hoped that he could help Nathan get away from that darkness.

Nathan shook his head. "I don't think so. He kinda just walked away. Said he had more important things to do."

"You know," Peyton began, "I know it's better for you to not have to spend time with him. But, still. He's your dad. He shouldn't have anything more important."

Nathan's voice was almost a whisper, "I've only been important when it comes to baseball."

"I'm sorry, Nathan," Peyton apologized. "I didn't mean anything by it."

"It's fine. I'm used to it."

"You shouldn't be," Lucas said. "But, you're better off without him. You've done well this year, Nathan. I know it's been almost a year and I just want you to know that I'm proud of you."

"I haven't done anything," Nathan brushed it off.

"That isn't true. You're finally being the fella I should have been dating. It's too bad you missed your shot, Scott," Peyton teased.

"Are you guys gonna head to Tree Hill this summer?" Nathan was dreading the answer. He felt better with the two of them there. He felt like with Lucas there, he wouldn't turn into the person he was becoming before his mother died. If Lucas left, he was afraid that he would become that person.

"No, I need to stay here," Lucas said. "You know why. Plus, with me working… If I want to eventually transfer to Tree Hill, I need to focus. What about you?"

"I'll train for next season." Nathan didn't know what else to do. When he played baseball, he could avoid thinking about Dan. It was ironic. Baseball had defined his relationship with Dan. Now he was using the game as a way to not think about his dad.

"Nathan, I'm going to suggest something and I don't want you to get upset." Peyton looked at him apprehensively. "Maybe you should date?"

Nathan was shocked at her suggestion. For the first time since puberty, he hadn't really thought about girls. He had other things on his mind during the past year. "Why?"

"Well, it's been over a year since we broke up. I don't know what you were up to between then and when we moved her and I don't want to. But, I don't know. It might help you."

"Help me with what?"

"Moving on," she said quietly. He didn't respond, so she told him, "Maybe just think about it."

"Didn't Cooper tell you to date?"

"Yeah." Nathan's uncle Cooper had been writing to him regularly. Cooper had never had a problem telling Nathan what a bad person Dan Scott was. Nathan remembered that he had seen Cooper at the house the afternoon before Dan had shot Deb and Keith. Through their letters Nathan found out that Dan, out of spite, had managed to stop Cooper from being able to buy a car that he needed. Cooper was one of the top drivers. Racing was a new sport, but Cooper was passionate about it. That car was top of the line and would have helped him win. Dan had thwarted Cooper's efforts simply because he didn't like him.

In his last few letters, Cooper had told Nathan about the girl he'd been dating. Apparently, she lived in Tree Hill. Cooper was staying just outside of town while he continued to see this girl. He was happy with her and he encouraged Nathan to start seeing girls. He told Nathan that he thought it would be good for him to get out and start living his life. In his last letter, he had told Nathan that life wasn't all about baseball.

First Cooper was telling him to date and now Peyton was. Nathan wondered if maybe they were right. Maybe going out and having some fun might help take his mind off of things. Maybe he could find something other than baseball to help him not think about Dan.

* * *

><p>Later that evening, with Lucas and Peyton on the sofa after dinner and each reading, Nathan headed out. He knew about a bar in town. Some of his teammates had mentioned it before. They had tried to get him to go with them, but he never did. Now, he walked into the dimly lit bar. He could hear the juke box in the corner playing swing music. He kept his hands in his pockets and his head down. Approaching the bar, he quietly ordered a beer and took a seat.<p>

It wasn't long before a girl approached him. She practically danced up to the bar and bounced into the seat next to him. "So, what's your name? You look like you could use some company."

Nathan looked at her. She had dark hair and brown eyes. She smiled brightly at him.

"I'm Gigi," she introduced herself. "And you're Nathan Scott. Pitcher for the Blue Devils. What do you say we get out of here and have some fun," she suggested.

* * *

><p>Haley was running around the café like a chicken with its head cut off. They were busy. A couple of months earlier, a new factory had opened up in town. They were making materials to build ships. With more people in the town employed, more people were going out to eat. Haley hadn't remembered Karen's Café being this busy. It certainly had not been this busy in the time that she'd worked there. With the crowds coming into the café, Haley was now keeping her job. It was a relief.<p>

The past six months had been difficult. Her siblings had all returned to their lives. That left Haley and Jimmy alone in the house. Jimmy was having trouble paying for it. He was going to have to let the house go and he was looking into apartments for he and Haley. They would have to move soon. He had his job at the electric company. The house was just too much for the two of them. His hours had been cut back.

Haley was working and she was relieved to have her job. She was getting more tips and she was able to help with the bills. She had been helping before, but she felt better knowing that she could contribute more. It had been even harder on them after Lydia's death. Haley was glad that she had work as a distraction. She was glad that her dad had work too. Jimmy had become so quiet since his wife's death.

Jimmy and Lydia James were always laughing and smiling. They didn't take a lot seriously. Their house had been fun and full of love and chaos. That had been gone since Lydia had died. It was like the life had gone out of Jimmy too. It made Haley so sad to see it. Her parents had been so full of life. Her dad tried for her. He attempted to make jokes and he attempted to smile. He couldn't fool his youngest daughter. At times, Haley felt like she had lost both parents.

Haley went back to the kitchen to get a customer's order. Brooke was sitting in the back with her sketch pad. Since the café had gotten busier, Brooke didn't take up any of the tables. She instead sat in the back. Brooke was now a constant fixture. She, Karen, and Haley were like family. Each of them had experienced loss in the past year. Karen had lost Keith, Haley had lost her mother, and Brooke's parents had left her in Tree Hill without a second thought. They had come to rely on each other.

"How's it going out there, Tutor Girl?" Brooke was sitting in a chair. Lily was in a small playpen next to her. Like Haley, Brooke was good with Lily. Both girls were a big help to Karen.

"Busy," Haley answered. "The busier the better."

"You know, one day when I'm designing gowns and you're a huge singing star on the radio, we're going to look back on the days we spent here. We'll think about how far we've come."

Haley laughed. "You already design gowns and I'm not a singer."

"Yes you are. You can sing. You just don't have confidence. You've got the best voice I've ever heard."

Haley shook her head and walked out of the kitchen without answering. She set the plate in front of Dr. Durham.

"Thank you, darlin'," he told her.

"You're welcome," she smiled, before turning to a new customer. She had seen him a couple of times before. He would come in, order something small, and check his watch. After a while, he would get up and leave. "What can I get for you?"

"Coffee and the peach pie," he answered, his blue eyes sparkling. She watched him carefully for a moment before pouring him a cup of coffee and getting him his pie. With more customers, her shifts went by quickly. As she was serving other customers, she was vaguely aware of the man who had ordered coffee and peach pie leaving. She saw him walk across the street with a bounce in his step. At least someone seemed happy.

Later that evening, Haley was in the café by herself. Like most nights, she was cleaning up after all of the customers had left. She often suggested that Karen and Lily head home. They were reluctant to, but Haley was always able to convince them. Brooke stayed with her for a while before going home. Haley was left on her own, wiping down the counters and placing the chairs on top of the tables.

Part of her enjoyed the solitude, but another part of her wished for the bustle of a busy day of work. When she was working, she didn't have to worry. She focused on being kind to costumers, getting their orders right, and getting them their food while it was still hot.

However, if she was alone, she had the chance to think. Thinking meant that she had the chance to worry. Haley was a natural born worrier. Now that her job at the café was secure, she had one less thing to worry about. She still worried. She worried about saving money and she worried about her father. She worried about Jimmy James a lot. He was still on her mind as she walked home.

The air was getting warmer and Haley found herself enjoying the light breeze. It had a slightly calming effect. She was approaching Dan's. As she got closer to it, she wrapped her arms around herself and lowered her head. She wasn't sure why; it felt like instinct. She could vaguely see that someone was standing on the sidewalk in front of the club. She moved to walk around him when he spoke.

"I know you," he said. "You're that waitress from the café."

Haley looked up at him. His blue eyes seemed bluer under the light in front of the café. "Coffee and peach pie," she said.

"Good memory."

Haley looked at the club apprehensively.

"You're smart, too," he told her. "You should stay far away from that place. You should stay far away from the owner. He's a no good piece of… Nevermind. I'm sure I'll see you at the-" He was interrupted by laughter coming from the doorway of the café. He and Haley both turned their attention and saw Dan Scott walking out of the club. On his arm was a girl Haley instantly recognized.

Rachel Gatina had gone to high school with Haley. Haley knew that Rachel liked to have a good time. She was more in Brooke's social circle than Haley's. She was just as beautiful as ever, her long red hair piled elegantly on her head. She was smiling and laughing at something Dan had said.

Haley thought about her father, not being able to help herself. The death of his wife was more recent, but she knew that Jimmy would never be involved with a girl as young as Rachel was. Haley doubted that he would be able to fully move on from the death of his wife. Yet, here was Dan Scott. He was acting as if nothing had happened. His wife had been gone for a year now and he didn't seem to care or to be in mourning. He looked like he was having a great time.

"Cooper," Dan said. "I thought I told you not to come around here." Dan glanced at Haley. He knew who she was. She worked at the café for Karen. He had seen her with Lily, his niece.

"Why don't you take a long walk off a short pier, Dan."

"Original, Cooper. How long did it take you think of that gem?"

Cooper just rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to Haley. "You should get out of here, sweetheart. You're too good for a place like this."

Haley looked at him and then to Dan and Rachel. Rachel looked at her with what appeared to be disdain. She couldn't figure out the look on Dan's face. She just realized that Dan Scott looking at her unnerved her. She gave Cooper a small nod and turned and left.

When Haley walked into her house, she couldn't help but feel sad at how quiet it was. Growing up, there had been a lot of noise. She wished for only a moment's peace when she was home. Now she had far too much peace. Her brothers and sisters slowly all left home and began living their own lives. When she had both of her parents it was all right. She had the stability that they offered. Since Lydia had died, she didn't have stability from either.

She walked into the living room and found her father sitting in his favorite chair. He had a cup of coffee on the table next to him and a half eaten plate of chicken in his lap. At least he was eating.

"Hello, Haley Bob. How was work?" Jimmy attempted a smile when his youngest came in. She attempted a similar smile.

"It was work. At least we're busy now."

"There is that. Karen has always been so good to you. At least you can rely on her."

Haley sighed and ran her hand through her dark hair. "How are you today, daddy?"

"Oh, I'm just fine. I'm just fine. Don't you worry about me."

"I, uh, I made enough in tips today so we can take care of the electric bill."

Jimmy looked down at his plate. "Haley Bob James, you don't need to take care of me. I told you; I'm going to find us an apartment and we won't have to worry anymore. It'll be any day now. Mrs. Carter from next door left us some food. Why don't you fix yourself some?"

"I ate at work. I'm just going to head up to bed, daddy. Let me know if you need anything."

"I will. I will."

Haley didn't like leaving him downstairs by himself, but it hurt being around him. He made an effort, but she could see right through it.

* * *

><p>Nathan had been out for a while. Peyton and Lucas had settled onto the sofa together with Peyton leaning against him.<p>

"So, you know how earlier I told Nathan that he should date?"

"Yeah?"

"I think he might be interested in someone."

Lucas looked down into Peyton's green eyes. "Who?"

Peyton hesitated before answering, but she knew that she needed to. She had noticed that after her conversation with Nathan months earlier that whenever she or Lucas mentioned her, Nathan's interest was piqued. He tried to hide it, but if they mentioned they'd gotten a letter from her or that they were writing to her, he inched closer.

"I think he might be interested in Haley," Peyton admitted.

Lucas's body went rigid and his mouth became tight. "My Haley."

"You don't own her, Luke."

"Haley. The girl who never liked him because of how he treated me?"

"Well, he asked about her once. He wanted to know how she was doing. He said that she was nice to him that night that everything happened."

"Has he said anything since?"

"If I get a letter from her or if I'm writing one, he always makes sure to ask how she is."

Lucas knit his brow together, thinking. "I don't like it."

"Why not?"

"Peyton, you know everything they've both been through lately."

"Lucas, they're miles away. We're up here and she's in Tree Hill. Besides, if he meets a girl here, maybe it'll take his mind off of things. Besides, I'm not even sure he likes her. I really could be reading too much into this. Maybe I was friends with Brooke for too long," Peyton laughed. "This is exactly the kind of thing she would have said. Anyway, really, just forget about it, Lucas. They don't even know each other. Who knows if he'll ever go back to Tree Hill."

"He'll go back."

"Why do you think that?"

"Because he wants to see Dan punished."

Peyton was silent for a while, relaxing in Lucas's arms. "You know, your brother isn't the same person who cheated on me."

"He still cheated."

"You should have more faith in him. Look at how far you two have come this year."

"Like you said, you're probably just reading too much into it," Lucas said, trying to get the idea of his brother and Haley out of his mind.

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><p><strong>Note:<strong> I know it was shorter than the previous chapters. Those were unusually long. Thanks for reading! I'll try to be faster in writing the next chapter. There's a couple of more month long time jumps, but one Nathan and Haley are in the same city, the jumps will stop.


	5. I'll Be Fine

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Notes:** Okay, this chapter is a little rushed. A lot happens. But it's going to lead to good places! Thank you so much for your reviews!

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><p>Haley sat at the small table in her apartment, eating a slice of toast she had brought from the kitchen. She had been living in this apartment for three weeks now. It had been four weeks since Jimmy James had died. Haley had gone numb hearing the news. She had walked into her house one night and found Jimmy asleep in his chair. She had thought he was asleep. After hanging her sweater on the hook by the door, she noticed that her father hadn't said a word to her. That was so unlike Jimmy. Even in his deepest grief, he made an effort for Haley. That effort included greeting her when she came home.<p>

As she walked further into the living room, she noticed that his head was leaning to one side and his hands were limp in his lap. She went to him immediately and began calling his name. He said nothing. She tried shaking him to get his attention. Nothing happened. She felt panic rise within her. She didn't want to leave Jimmy alone, but she had no choice. They no longer had a phone. She ran next door to the Carter's and frantically knocked on their door.

She must have been crying. She hadn't noticed that she started. Mrs. Carter took her into her arms and asked her what was wrong. Her husband went into the house and before Haley realized it, he had gone to get Dr. Durham. The doctor had said that Jimmy died of a heart attack.

What really bothered Haley was that he had died alone. She had been there for him in the months since Lydia's death. She had been there with him for everything. But he died alone. That was one of the foremost thoughts in Haley's head in the weeks since it had happened. Her life had changed completely in four weeks. She thought it had changed drastically when Lydia died, but now with both parents truly gone… Haley had almost felt like Jimmy died when Lydia died. In a way, he had. He wasn't truly living. Now that he was gone forever, she felt an emptiness and a weight in her.

She really had gone numb after the doctor had told her that Jimmy was gone. She didn't come out of it until Karen was in the house, kneeling in front of her. It was seeing Karen that reminded Haley that she had a purpose. She still had people to look after. She promised Lucas that she would.

Again, her siblings tried to convince her to move in with one of them. She hesitated. She nearly said yes, knowing that she didn't have anywhere to live. Karen was there when her siblings tried to convince her. She heard Haley tell them that Tree Hill was home. That was when she offered the small room above the café. Karen had it converted to an apartment over fifteen years-ago when she was raising Lucas. Her own parents didn't want them in their house and she couldn't live with Keith anymore. It wasn't right. So, she converted the upstairs portion of the building that housed the café into a little apartment. It was an open space. The bedroom, if it could be called that, was behind half of a wall. There was room for a small sofa and a small table. She had a bathroom with a small bathtub. There was no kitchen, because the kitchen for the café was right downstairs.

Karen had explained to the James siblings that she would readily take Haley in, but Brooke was living there already. She also knew Haley well enough to know that she wouldn't want to live off of Karen. Haley had refused the apartment at first until she and Karen came to an agreement. Haley would keep her job at the café, but she would be responsible for opening the café every morning. Haley normally didn't begin working until after noon. Now, she would be there in the morning to make sure everything was in order for the day. Haley knew that it wasn't a fair trade. Karen was offering her a place to live, free of rent, for very little in exchange. She insisted on paying rent. Karen argued, but Haley insisted.

Haley knew that Karen realized that before Lydia died, Haley had been saving her money to go to school. She had wanted to spread her wings, so to speak, and get out on her own. Now that both Jimmy and Lydia were gone, she knew that there was very little holding Haley to Tree Hill. But, hearing the girl she thought of as a daughter say that this little town was home, Karen knew that there was something that she could do to help.

Haley wouldn't have accepted this unfair offer if not for her promise to Lucas. She didn't know what she would do with one of her siblings. In Tree Hill she not only had a job, but she could keep her promise to look after Karen and Lily. Seeing the two of them do so well brought brightness to Haley's life.

She knew that eventually, she would want to live on her own and not rely on the kindness of someone else. That was what she was doing sitting at her tiny table in her tiny apartment looking at the newspaper. The apartment was comfortable. Karen and Brooke had worked hard to make it a home for Haley. It was a relief to have it. The bank had taken the James house only a week after Jimmy had died.

Haley scanned the newspaper looking for jobs. There was only one listing that caught her eye and she bit her lip, thinking about it. It would be risky, but Haley needed money. It made her uneasy living off of Karen. She needed to stand on her own two feet. She could do that and still look after Karen and Lily. Brooke had encouraged her to sing. Brooke had told Haley that she had the best singing voice she'd ever heard. Well, now Haley was desperate and she was going to have to swallow her fear and do this. She had never sang in public before. Her parents, her siblings, Brooke, all had said her voice was beautiful. She was going to have to believe them and hope that she didn't make a fool of herself.

Haley wondered how long singers lasted at Dan's. This wasn't the first time she'd seen an ad for one. Haley was set to open the café, but after that she had several hours before her shift truly began. With the hours a club kept, Haley would be able to manage both jobs if she got it. If she didn't, maybe Dan needed a waitress.

He made her nervous, but she really felt she had no other choice. She wasn't going to not pay Karen rent after she had insisted. She could afford the rent with her job at the café, but it wasn't enough to save for the future. That was very important to Haley. She didn't want handouts and she wanted to eventually stand on her own two feet. She'd been forced into independence by the deaths of Lydia and Jimmy.

Haley felt herself get a little queasy at the idea of auditioning to sing at Dan's. She hoped that maybe a manager or someone would take care of it and that he himself wouldn't be there. She knew he was there every night. Everyone knew that. Lucas would hate what she was doing. He didn't understand how desperate she was. Karen would also be disappointed; Haley was sure of that. Karen would know the young girl well enough to know that she wouldn't be stopped. Haley had made it clear that she would do as much as she could to take care of herself.

Haley spent her morning thinking of music. She hadn't had much to sing about lately. She got the café ready to open and smiled at Karen and Lily when they came in. She didn't tell Karen her plans for the morning. She left, telling Karen that she had an errand to run. As she approached the door to the club, she felt her hands begin to shake. She closed her eyes and felt an unfamiliar warmth around her hands. She wasn't sure where it came from, but it was there. As she felt that warmth, she remembered the blue eyes that had looked at her with such fear and anguish.

From out of nowhere, she thought about Nathan. That night his mother died, over a year ago, he told her that he didn't want to be like his father. She realized that he probably wouldn't approve of what she was doing, but she couldn't figure out why she cared.

Brushing those thoughts aside, she walked in. The club was virtually empty. From what she could see, there were only two people in there. She didn't recognize either of them. The club was a large, open space. There was a large dance floor with tables surrounding it. There was a bar in the back and neon lights lined the perimeter of the room.

The man behind the bar noticed her first. He was tall with short, brown curly hair and kind brown eyes. He had an untied bowtie around his neck and his vest was unbuttoned. He clearly wasn't ready for customers.

"Can I help you, miss?" He had a friendly, genuine smile.

Haley struggled to find her voice. "Um." She tried to remember the reason she was there. "Singing. I'm here for the job," she finally said.

"I'll go get the boss," the bartender said. "Chris is at the piano over there. You can discuss your music with him."

Haley looked and saw a lanky young man with thick hair at the piano. He had a cigarette dangling from his lips and he looked like he didn't care about anything. She didn't get a chance to say anything when none other than Dan Scott walked into the room. He came from a door near the bar. Haley realized it must have been an office of some sort.

Dan stopped when he saw the small girl waiting for him. She was clutching her handbag for dear life. He could see that she was nervous. He knew who she was the moment he saw her. He had seen her before. He usually saw her when he looked in the window at the café.

"What is your name, young lady?" Dan picked up a chair, walked past Haley, and placed the chair a few feet in front of the stage. He motioned for her to follow him.

"Ha-Haley James," she answered.

"Well, Ha-Haley James," his tone slightly mocking, "let's see what you can do."

Haley nodded. She undid the buttons on her coat and took it off, setting it and her handbag aside. She looked at the piano player and tried not to breath in the smoke from his cigarette.

"I'll Be Seeing You?" She looked nervously at him.

"Yes, Chris Keller knows it," the piano player said, getting a quizzical look from Haley in return.

"I'm waiting, Miss James," Dan said.

With a deep breath, Haley closed her eyes and waited for Chris to begin playing.

_I'll be seeing you,_  
><em>In all the old familiar places,<em>  
><em>That this heart of mine embraces,<em>  
><em>All day through,<em>

_In that small café,_  
><em>The park across the way,<em>  
><em>The children's carousel,<em>  
><em>The chestnut trees,<em>  
><em>The wishing well,<em>

_I'll be seeing you,_  
><em>In every lovely summer's day,<em>  
><em>In everything that's light and gay,<em>  
><em>I'll always think of you that way,<em>

_I'll find you,_  
><em>In the morning sun,<em>  
><em>And when the night is new,<em>  
><em>I'll be looking at the moon,<em>  
><em>But I'll be seeing you…<em>

Haley kept her eyes closed as she sang, letting the melody and lyrics take over. She had loved this song since she had first heard it. She thought it was beautiful and she hoped that she did it justice. She sang until Chris stopped playing the piano. She looked down from the stage and saw Dan looking at her. It made her uneasy.

"Find some nice dresses. You go on at eight every night. Chris has some songs for you to learn. You can start with that now. You go on tonight." Without looking at her again, Dan stood up and walked back to his office.

From behind the bar, the young man stepped out and walked up to her with a large smile on his face.

"You were wonderful!"

"She was adequate," Chris, the piano player said.

"Don't listen to him," the bartender said. "He thinks everyone is just adequate."

"They're usually worse. I was giving her a compliment," Chris said.

"I'm Julian. It's nice to meet you, Miss James."

"Uh, Haley. You can call me Haley," she told him.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Haley. You really were swell. Honestly, singers don't last long here because they aren't very good. You're easily the best who's ever performed in this joint. You get a dressing room. I can show you where it is while Chris gets your music together."

"Okay. I have to be at the café at noon," she told him.

"Karen's Café? I think I've seen you in there, but I don't go in often."

"Yes, I work there," Haley told him.

"Listen," Julian began as they walked back to the dressing room. "Don't let this place intimidate you. I know it gets a bad rap. Just do your thing. The crowd will love you. And try to stay out of the boss's way."

After looking at the dressing room, Haley and Julian walked back into the main room. Haley caught a glimpse of Rachel Gatina walking out of the door and stared after her.

"The boss's wife," Julian explained.

Haley looked at him, shocked. "I went to school with her."

"They're married now. Expecting a little one," Julian informed her.

Haley couldn't believe it. Dan really had moved on. She wondered if Lucas knew about this. She wondered if even Karen knew about this. They might have. Haley had been in her own world in the past four weeks, dealing with the death of her father.

Haley spent the rest of the morning rehearsing with Chris. She left just in time to change into her uniform for her shift at the café.

* * *

><p>During a lull in business, Karen looked at Haley. She could tell that Haley seemed preoccupied with something.<p>

"What's going on, Haley?"

"Nothing," Haley answered a little too quickly.

"Haley."

Haley sighed and set the dish rag she was holding on the table she'd been wiping up.

"Karen, I got another job this morning."

"Haley, you know you don't have to pay rent."

"Yes. Yes, I do. I won't take charity, Karen."

"It isn't charity."

Haley looked at her, her head cocked to the side. "I can be independent without them, Karen. I appreciate everything you've done. Without you, Brooke, and Lily I don't know what I would have done these past few weeks. Even the past ten months. I always had my parents, brothers, sisters, and Lucas to rely on. You three have done so much for me. But I can't expect someone to always be there for me."

"I will always be there for you, Haley."

"Karen, I need the money. You pay me enough so that I can pay rent, but if I want to do this on my own, I need more. I need to save my money."

"Okay." Karen knew that the girl was stubborn. "Where is this job?"

Haley averted her eyes and looked back at the table she was standing next to.

"Haley, where is this job?"

"Dan's," Haley whispered.

"I'm sorry, for a moment I thought you said you were working for Dan."

Haley still didn't look at Karen.

"Haley. Please tell me that you are not working for Dan Scott."

"I'm just singing, Karen. That's all it is. I sing and I will avoid him at all costs. I promise you. I need the money."

"Haley James, no. I told you that I wouldn't charge you rent. You won't be paying me. You save that money for yourself."

"Karen, I will not take a handout." Part of agreeing to look after Karen and Lily did not involve letting them support her.

"I'm not going to talk you out of this, am I?"

Haley shook her head. "It's temporary." Haley picked up the rag and began wiping the table down again. "Karen, could you do something for me?"

"Anything." There was no hesitation in Karen's voice.

"Please don't tell Lucas. He wouldn't like it. I know you don't like it. But there's nothing he can do about it and he's up in Durham. Just, please don't tell him."

"Haley, he'll find out sooner or later."

Haley nodded.

"But fine. Just please be careful."

* * *

><p>Karen walked the steps to the entrance of City Hall. She turned to the left when she walked in, knowing exactly where she was going. She didn't stop when she reached his office. She didn't stop when his secretary told her that he wasn't to be disturbed. She didn't bother knocking on the door. She'd rarely seen Dan looked so shocked as he did to see her standing in his office.<p>

"Karen…" He stood from his desk.

"Almost a year ago, you came into my café and asked if you could do anything for me."

"I remember. Anything," he said, stepping out from behind his desk.

"This morning, you hired Haley James to sing in your club. That girl is like a daughter to me, Dan. She has been there for Lily and me since Keith died and has never asked for anything in return. In fact, when I do try to give her something in return, she turns it down. I love that girl as if she were my own and she has been through hell this past year.

"She's determined to make her own money and that, apparently, means working for you. So, if you were serious about doing something for me, you will. You're going to look after her, Dan. You're going to make sure that Haley stays safe and that she isn't harmed in any way. Haley is compassionate, strong, intelligent, and beautiful. She deserves better than singing for people who are drunk. I can't stop her from working there, but I can do this for her. Keep her safe, Dan."

"You have my word, Karen."

"Your word hasn't meant much in eighteen years. Congratulations on the wife and baby," Karen said, turning and leaving before he could respond.

Dan slowly sat back down in his chair. Karen was the last person he expected to see in his office. He never expected her to take him up on his offer to help her. This wasn't how he'd planned on helping her. He wondered what it was about Haley James that got such a passionate response out of the woman he had known so long ago.

* * *

><p>Haley had been working at the club for months. It was now spring. The club wasn't what she had expected. Dan wasn't what she had expected. The male customers looked at her a lot. It was more male attention than she had ever received. The looks they gave her made her uncomfortable. During her second week, one drunken man had grabbed for her. Before Haley could even reply to him, Dan had grabbed the man by the wrist. He told him that he was cut off for the night and if he ever wanted to come into the club again, he would learn to keep his hands to himself. Since then, none of the customers ever tried touching her. They still looked and it still made her uncomfortable. But they didn't try to grab her.<p>

As it turned out, peach pie and coffee was a regular customer at Dan's. Haley couldn't figure out why. She had seen them interact the night she walked by the club. The man – she found out that his name was Cooper – had warned her to stay away. The first time he saw her there he looked at her with both disappointment and resignation. He was always kind, whether he saw her at the club or the café. She would often see Dan and him glaring at each other. There was obviously bad blood between the two and Haley wasn't sure why. She wondered if it had to do with Rachel Gatina Scott.

The new Mrs. Scott came into the club a few times a week. Haley was certain she once saw Cooper looking in her direction. Rachel looked back and for a moment, Haley was sure that they knew each other. She didn't say anything about it. She kept her head down. She sang and the customers seemed to enjoy her. She performed and then she went home. She may be working at the club, but she still wanted to keep her distance. She was sure that there was no one who approved of her working there. They knew that she needed the money, though.

The most pleasant surprise at the club was Julian. She spent most of her time with Chris and him. Chris she had learned to tolerate. He was arrogant and obnoxious. He could certainly play the piano, though. He led the band that accompanied Haley as she sang. She mostly worked on rehearsing with Chris. Musically, the two worked well together. She liked to steer clear of him. Julian was another story.

Since her first day, he had been warm and welcoming. He had become a very dear friend. He explained to her that he would like to move out to Hollywood and work in pictures. He just hadn't worked up the courage or saved enough money to do it. Now, not only did she see Julian at work, but he would also come into the café while she was working.

At first, he came in for lunch and to visit with Haley. That was before he met Brooke Davis. He still came in so that he could see Haley. He got along well with Karen and though Lily was shy, she did like him. He came in to visit Haley, but she knew he also hoped to see Brooke.

Brooke was the only one who reacted with any sort of enthusiasm about Haley singing at Dan's. Thanks to Brooke, Haley was always wearing an exquisite gown when she was on stage. Brooke refused to let her pay. She told Haley that the styles were a couple of seasons behind, so she couldn't sell them. Brooke told her that many of the pieces were ones that she had been experimenting with. Haley wasn't sure that Brooke was telling the truth, but she didn't argue. She needed something to wear. She felt special wearing the beautiful gowns that Brooke designed. For a short while, she sang on stage and didn't feel like that poor girl who had lost both of her parents within less than a year and was now working herself to the bone to support herself.

Haley was sure that Brooke didn't grasp just what Julian felt for her and she wasn't sure that Julian understood it either. It made her happy, though, to see the two of them getting along so well. Julian was a perfect gentleman with Brooke. He treated her with such respect. Haley had noticed that since he began coming around the café that being in his presence had given Brooke a new form of confidence. She really believed in her dream and that she could accomplish it.

The one thing that weighed on Haley's mind often was that she had yet to tell Lucas that she was working for his father. She knew that Lucas wouldn't be happy. He would be concerned. The longer she waited to tell him, the worse it would be. She didn't want to disappoint him or worry him. She hoped he would understand.

* * *

><p>Lucas had warned him. That's all that Nathan could keep thinking of. Even as he laid sprawled on the sofa in Lucas and Peyton's house with a bottle of whiskey in his hand and fresh stubble on his jaw, he kept thinking about what his brother had told him months earlier. He looked at his elevated knee. He could see the bone twisted in an unnatural way through the fabric of his trousers. He hated the sight of it. Seeing it, he took another drink.<p>

Nathan had spent summer, fall, and winter training like he never had before. He threw himself into it more than he had the previous year after his mother's death. He not only wanted to do well for himself, but he wanted to show Dan that he was better than him at something. So, he trained and trained and trained. He trained so much that he wore himself out.

The team was on their fifth game of the season. Nathan had been on third base and was running for home. Someone in the field threw the ball to the catcher. The catcher stood and Nathan slammed into him in his attempt to get to home base. When he fell, he felt his knee bend and he heard it crack. He literally saw stars as his vision blurred because of the pain. He was vaguely aware of Lucas running to his side. He could hear his coach and some of his teammates talking about his leg.

He'd been taken to the hospital and the doctors tried their best to set his leg properly, but it didn't. His knee was now permanently at an odd angle. They couldn't fix it. That had been two months ago. Two months ago, he had lost baseball and everything else good in his life. His mother was gone by the hand of his own father. Baseball was his way out. Baseball had kept him sane and kept him away from Dan.

It had been nearly two years now. He was still angry. He still wanted Dan to pay. He couldn't do anything. He was done. He was never going to play baseball again and if he got up off of the sofa and tried walking, he would be walking with a limp for the rest of his life. That was if he got up and walked. Lucas and Peyton kept telling him that if he tried, he could walk without any assistance from a cane. They kept trying to encourage him.

Neither understood how angry he was. They tried to. Lucas especially tried to. He was so worried about Nathan. Since they brought him back from the hospital, he had done little except sit on the sofa and drink. Dan hadn't visited. Nathan's scholarship had been revoked. Nathan literally felt like he had nothing.

Bringing the bottle to his lips again, Nathan took a drink. He was drunk. His vision was blurry as he tried to focus on the glow coming from the window. His arm fell to his side and off of the sofa, the bottle clinking as it hit the wood floor. Nathan's lips were slightly parted and even though he'd just had a drink, they were dry. He blinked and then he saw her.

Everything around her was a blur, but he could see her. He knew who she was. She was smiling at him and it was the first time he'd seen a smile in months. Just as she had the night his mother died, she took his hands in her own. He felt warm. For the first time in two months, he felt like getting up off of that sofa.

"Haley," he whispered. His voice was hoarse. Lucas and Peyton weren't home, but if they had been, they wouldn't have heard him. The whiskey had burned in his throat going down and his throat was dry. "Haley," he whispered again.

"What are you doing to yourself?" She didn't wait for him to answer. "You're better than this."

He blinked, trying to focus his vision. When he opened his eyes, she was gone. He realized that he must be even drunker than he'd thought. Still, even his hallucination of her had brought him comfort. He still had dreams about her. It was the only time he felt any comfort and he knew it had to be because she had been so kind to him the night his mother died.

He tried lifting his arm to bring the bottle back to his lips. Maybe if he drank more he could see her again. As he was lifting the bottle he was aware that the front door opened. He gazed over, blinking his eyes again. He saw Lucas there. Or, at least, he saw a shape that he understood to be Lucas.

Lucas swiftly walked into the room and grabbed the bottle from Nathan's hand. Nathan did nothing. Carefully, Lucas hoisted his brother over his shoulder. He got no protest from Nathan. He was too drunk to do anything. Unceremoniously, Lucas dumped Nathan into the bathtub and turned the water on. It was freezing cold.

A jolt went through Nathan and his vision cleared, the only thing obstructing it was now the water falling in his eyes. He didn't say anything.

"Get sober, get cleaned up. When you're done with that, you're gonna walk out of this bathroom and meet me in the kitchen. You need to get off of your ass and start living your life, Nathan." Without another word, Lucas left.

Nathan had a choice. He could sit in the bathtub with the cold water pouring down on him and sobering him up. Or, he could actually clean himself up and go out into the real world. Closing his eyes, he saw Haley again. "You're better than this," she had said. How did she know that? She didn't know him at all. But, Nathan realized that he wanted her faith in him to be justified. Even if her faith in him was just a figment of his imagination.

He walked out of the bathroom tucking his shirt into his trousers, not bothering to pull his suspenders up to his shoulders. He walked slowly, trying to make his limp less noticeable. It didn't matter; it would always be there. He felt the stubble on his jaw. He hadn't bothered shaving.

"Are you sober?" Lucas was sitting at the kitchen table.

"Sober enough," Nathan answered.

"Glad I got through to you."

"You didn't," Nathan thought, but didn't say it out loud. He looked at Lucas's hands, which were sitting on the table top, folded together. He noticed the gold band on Lucas's left hand. Nathan wasn't surprised when Lucas and Peyton began dating, but he was surprised when they had decided to quickly get married. It had been the week before Nathan's accident. Lucas had woken him up, told him to put on his best clothes, and come with him and Peyton to the court house. Nathan had been their witness as they were married by a judge.

Nathan had felt weird standing there. He was glad that he had his brother. They really were brothers now and he trusted Lucas like he'd never trusted anyone else. He was now friends with Peyton and he was grateful for it. Still, it felt like Lucas should have at least had his mother and sister there. Lucas had explained that he couldn't take chances with them coming to Durham. They were still working on their plan for Dan.

Nathan took a seat across the table from Lucas.

"Jimmy Edwards is moving to Arkansas," Lucas said.

"Who is Jimmy Edwards?"

"Jimmy Edwards is a deputy in Tree Hill."

"All right." Nathan took a moment to think. "Does that mean what I think it means?"

"It means it's time to go back to Tree Hill, Nathan."

The color drained from Nathan's face. "Lucas…"

"I know, Nathan. I know that this is going to be hard for you. I know that these past two months have been awful for you. I know you focused on baseball, but now you can focus on this. You know what we talked about. We can take Dan down. Now that I have an in through official channels, we can do this. I'm just going to need your help to get close to him. I know how angry you are, but we can do this. You can do this for your mom. You're strong, Nathan."

"Lucas, I don't know…"

"Nathan, I do. You'll be fine. And Peyton and me will be there if you need help. You're not going to be alone in this."

"Does Peyton know about this?"

Lucas shook his head. "I just found out. I have to start there on Monday, so we have to move quickly."

"Luke, she's gonna need time to-"

"I know, Nathan. We'll take care of it. Don't worry."

"It's been almost two years, Lucas."

"I know."

"It's gonna be different."

"I know."

"What if it isn't home anymore?"

Lucas tapped his fingers on the table. "Then we'll do what we need to do and then find you a new home."

"You make it sound easy."

"Maybe it can be. You're a good man, Nathan. I know you've been focused on baseball and on this for the past two years. I'm just hoping that once this is over with you can find something in your life that'll make you happy. Maybe find a nice girl, settle down."

"You're starting to sound like Peyton and Cooper."

"They still after you to date?"

Nathan shook his head. "Not since my knee. But before that."

"You can't focus completely on your anger at Dan."

"I think… I think maybe I should for right now. I think if I can focus on us taking care of Dan that maybe it'll stop me from choking the life out of him. I just want everyone to know what he did and to know what a bad man he is."

"We're gonna do that, Little Brother. If focusing on being angry helps us, then okay. Just remember, there's more to life. Don't let revenge take over."

"It's easy for you to say."

"No, it's not. Nathan, I know you got the worst of it since you saw it happen. But look what it did to my mom and Lily. You think I'm not angry about that?"

"But you don't get mad like I do. And you have Peyton. Whenever everything gets bad, you have Peyton. I have nothing."

Lucas shook his head. "You have me and Peyton too. We're your family, Nathan. It may not have always been that way. You and me, we're brothers. And I guess that makes Peyton like your sister now."

"Oh, don't remind me that I'm now related to this one," Peyton joked, walking into the kitchen. The brothers had been so engrossed in their conversation that they hadn't heard her come in. "Good to see you off of the couch and without a bottle in your hand."

Nathan looked at the table top sheepishly.

"Nathan's not drinking anymore. Are you, Nathan?"

"No," Nathan quietly answered. "I'm gonna focus."

"Focus on what?" Peyton took a seat at the table.

"Peyton, Tree Hill needs a new deputy," Lucas told his wife.

She knew exactly what that meant. "So, we're moving back."

Lucas nodded. "By Monday."

"Monday? Lucas, that's five days away!"

"Peyton, there's nothing I can do about it. They knew I was interested and that's when they said I have to be there."

"Monday?"

"Monday."

"I need to make some plans. While I do that, you boys are going to start packing up this house. There are still some boxes in the shed. Get moving. And Nathan, I'm not taking it easy on you because of your knee. You can still walk and you're still strong. Get to work."

Nathan had to smile. Peyton was blunt and he was glad that she wasn't going to go easy on him. He didn't want to be treated like he wasn't capable of doing things. He didn't want to be reminded about his knee or that he couldn't do what he used to do.

He and Lucas would spend the rest of the week getting their belongings together. Nathan shaved the stubble off of his face, he got himself cleaned up, and he stopped drinking. He wanted to be better than that sad shell of a man he'd been for two months. She probably hadn't thought of him in the two years since he'd been gone. That didn't stop him from thinking about her and it didn't stop him from wanting her to be right about him. Even if she hadn't given him a second thought and even if he never saw or spoke to her again, he wanted her to be right about him.

He thought about what Lucas had said about him settling down. Haley's face flashed in his mind and he shook his head. He didn't know where it came from. For him, she represented comfort in his darkest moments. That was it. She was a lovely, kind person. He didn't know her beyond that. When it came to settling down, if he did do that, it would have to be with someone that he knew. That wouldn't be happening with her.

He knew that she was still in Tree Hill, but he wouldn't be seeing her if he could help it. Lucas wouldn't be seeing her if he could help it. They were about to take down Dan and Nathan wanted her to stay far away from that. He didn't want her getting mixed into that world. The further she was from Dan the better.

Nathan wondered who would want a washed up baseball player like him. After they took care of Dan he didn't know what he would do. He wasn't really good at anything except for baseball and now he didn't have that. He was going to have to figure something out, but settling down wouldn't figure into that.

He did try to go out. He went to that bar several times. Each time, Gigi would come up to him and talk to him. She would try to talk him into dancing or going to get something to eat with her. He never did. She still tried. At first, he had been attracted to her brown eyes and her brown hair. They made him feel a sort of warmth. As soon as she began talking and he got to know her a little, that went away. She was a nice girl, but the warmth was gone. There was just nothing there.

The car ride to Tree Hill was quiet and uneventful. Peyton had arranged what was needed. Nathan had been impressed with how quickly she had done it.

"Just remember what we talked about, Nathan. You'll be fine," Lucas said.

"You'll be fine, Nathan. We're here for you," Peyton added.

"I know. I'll be fine," Nathan said, trying to convince himself. He felt his hands begin to shake slightly as they got closer and closer. He couldn't believe it had been two years since he'd been in Tree Hill. It had always been home.

As they crossed into Tree Hill they passed the "Welcome to Tree Hill" sign that greeted them. Nathan wondered how long he could go without seeing Dan. He hadn't heard from him since he found out that he couldn't play baseball anymore. Now that Nathan was done with the game, Dan didn't seem to care. Nathan wouldn't be surprised if he didn't even care that he was back in Tree Hill.

* * *

><p><strong>Note: <strong>Well, the good news is that now Haley and Nathan are in the same city! The bad news is that they both had to hit rock bottom to get there. I promise you, they will interact in the next chapter. Thank you for reading and reviewing!


	6. Something Here Inside

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Note:** Well, hopefully this gets a better response now that both Nathan and Haley are in Tree Hill. I hope you enjoy this chapter! Thank you for reading and reviewing. The line breaks in this may seem like they're in strange places, but it's where I think they work.

* * *

><p>Lucas, Peyton, and Nathan had arrived on Sunday afternoon. The drive between Durham and Tree Hill wasn't that far and it took them less than three hours. Lucas pulled the car, which had belonged to Keith, in front of Peyton's house. For now, it was where he and his wife would be living. Her father was away. Now that Europe was at war, more experienced sailors were needed on dredging boats in the Atlantic. Peyton was worried, but she knew her father knew his job. If anything happened while they were working, he would be able to handle it. As long as America stayed out of the war, things would be fine.<p>

"Lucas, I really think I should just head to the boarding house by the docks. I'll be fine there," Nathan said. He and Lucas were carrying a few boxes into the house, trying to get their belongings settled in.

"Nonsense. You're family, Nathan. We're here to help and I really think this whole thing will be better if you have some support at home."

"This isn't home," Nathan muttered. The truth was that he didn't feel like he had a home. He couldn't call the house he grew up in that. He never could, but now he really couldn't. Duke had just been a place to be. Now, living with his brother and sister-in-law, that definitely didn't feel like home.

"Is he still trying to argue about staying with us?" Peyton walked into the house carrying a small suitcase. "Listen, Nathan, you're staying. Stop arguing. Besides, I think we all know we need to keep a certain someone's attention away from the docks."

Nathan nodded. He knew that Peyton was right. He really had nowhere else to go. He would have to stay here. "You won't even know I'm here," he promised them. "I'll just stay outta your way."

Lucas chuckled. "You don't have to do that. You're not in the way."

Nathan nodded again. "So, you think if I just don't tell him I'm back he'll find me on his own?"

"Yes, I do. He'll know I'm back when I start work tomorrow. He knows that I was in Durham and that we've gotten closer. I mean, he knows we're brothers now."

They busied themselves unpacking and settling in. Nathan was given the spare bedroom down the hall from Lucas and Peyton. It was sparsely furnished with just a twin bed, a dresser, and a chair. He really didn't think he needed anything else.

He sat on the edge of the bed, his hands resting on the blue quilt that covered it. He stared at the rug on the floor, not really paying attention to the patterns on it. As they'd driven back into Tree Hill, he couldn't help but think about the memories he had of this town. The last time he'd been there, he had felt like he was suffocating. He needed to get out and he needed to get away from Dan. Now he was back. His thoughts were interrupted by Lucas knocking on the door and poking his head in.

"We're headed down to my mom's café. Come on."

Nathan grimaced. He felt like being alone with his thoughts. He had a hard time thinking about Karen and what she had lost. He couldn't help feeling guilty that Lucas chosen to go to Durham with him instead of staying with Karen and Lily when they needed him. He was also self-conscious. The last time he had been in Tree Hill, he was their baseball superstar. Now, anyone could tell just by looking at him as he walked down the street that he wasn't playing anymore.

"I think… I think I'll just stay here," he told Lucas without looking at him.

"Come on, Nathan. I think it would be good for you."

"No, I just sort of want to stay here," he said.

Not wanting to push the matter, Lucas closed the door and left.

Lucas, Peyton, and Nathan had left Durham so suddenly that Lucas hadn't told Karen that he was coming home. He and Peyton walked down the street toward the café arm in arm. When they approached it, a familiar feeling came over Lucas. He was glad to be home. He knew that what he was doing was important and that Nathan needed him. He still missed his mother and his little sister. He was still disappointed that they couldn't be at his wedding.

He held the door open for Peyton. It was early afternoon and there were very few customers in the café. Karen usually got a rush of people coming in for something to eat after church, but after that it was slow for the few hours that the café remained open. Sunday hours were shorter than any other day. Lucas and Peyton looked around, seeing three customers spaced out throughout the dining area. Lucas smiled when he saw his mother. She was behind the counter, her back to the door.

"I'll be with you in just a moment," she said after hearing the bell above the door. She hadn't yet turned to see who was there. She had Lily balanced on her hip as she wrote something down.

Lucas and Peyton both approached the counter and waited for her.

"What's a person have to do to get a hug in this place?" Lucas couldn't resist saying something. It had been two years since he'd seen his mother. His little sister was now three years-old. He barely recognized her.

Slowly, Karen turned around. Seeing her son, tears welled in her eyes. She immediately walked away from behind the counter and took him in a hug with her free arm. Lucas embraced her and Lily with both of his. Peyton stood back, not wanting to interrupt.

"You're home," Karen cried, pulling away and getting a good look at her boy. "For how long?"

"For good," he answered. "They need a new deputy. I start tomorrow."

"Oh, you're back," Karen hugged him again. When they parted, she turned back to Peyton. "You're back and you brought a wife with you." Karen smiled and beckoned Peyton over to her.

"I'm sorry we did it so suddenly, Mrs. Scott," Peyton apologized while hugging Karen.

"I just couldn't wait to marry her, mom," Lucas explained.

Karen had been hurt. He was her only son and she hadn't been there to see him married. She pushed that aside, though. They were here now.

"Lily, your brother's home," Karen told the small girl in her arms. The little girl buried her head in her mother's shoulder, clearly shy.

"It's okay if you don't remember me, Lily. I'm gonna be around a lot. Me and Peyton and Nathan. You won't forget us again," Lucas assured her.

"You have Nathan with you?" Karen looked past Lucas and Peyton, trying to see Nathan. "Where is he?"

"He's back at the house," Lucas answered. "He didn't want to intrude."

"How is he?" Lucas had kept Karen informed about Nathan in the letters he would write to her.

"He's working on it," Lucas replied. He was about to speak again when he heard a familiar voice.

"Karen, I think adding radishes would be a great idea. Maybe even some cucum-," Haley stopped when she saw those blue eyes looking at her. She'd been coming from upstairs in her apartment. She and Karen were planning a new dish for the menu and that was what was on her mind. She hadn't expected to walk downstairs and find him standing there. She couldn't help the emotion that came over her. Tears came from her eyes as she quickened her pace and wrapped her arms around him. "You're back."

"I'm back for good, Hales."

She immediately felt better than she had in a long time hearing him say that. "I've missed you so much." She closed her eyes and tightened her arms around him, not wanting to let go.

"Haley," a small voice was heard.

Reluctantly, Haley pulled away from her best friend. Tears were still in her eyes. She looked over at Lily, who was still in Karen's arms. "Yes, sweetie?"

"You crying."

"I'm happy," Haley explained to the girl, taking her from Karen. "I'm really happy. I missed your brother."

"Lucas," Lily said, finally looking at her older brother.

Haley handed Lily to Lucas so the two could get acquainted. Looking over, she finally noticed Peyton. "Oh my goodness, Peyton, I'm so sorry." Haley pulled her friend into a tight hug. "How are you?"

"I'm doing just fine. I missed you, Haley James."

"So, Mrs. Scott," Haley looked at her two friends. Lucas looked at his wife lovingly.

"I know," Karen said, "we'll all have dinner. I'll cook and you can all come over to the house. The café closes in an hour and it's perfect. You can even bring Nathan."

Haley's head quickly turned in Karen's direction at the mention of Nathan's name and she tried to keep her composure. She wasn't sure where the butterflies in her stomach came from or why she suddenly felt warm.

"That sounds great, mom."

"Yes, we'd love to," Peyton agreed.

"I'm not so sure about Nathan, though," Lucas added. "He's a little… well, it's been rough. We'll check, though."

"Karen, why don't you and Lily go ahead. I'll close up here," Haley offered.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, it's fine. I'll close up and then be over," Haley said. She was so glad to have her friend back. Dinner with him sounded wonderful.

* * *

><p>Haley closed up the café, turned the sign to "closed" and locked the door behind her. She had one stop to make before heading to Karen's house. She made the trip every Sunday. With a small bouquet of flowers in hand, she approached the headstone bearing the names of her parents. Jimmy and Lydia had been laid to rest in Tree Hill's small cemetery.<p>

Haley wiped a few tears from her eyes as she set the flowers on the grass in front of their headstone. She stood there, her hands in front of her. She didn't say anything. She rarely did. It just helped being there. She felt like if she was there, then maybe they would know how much they were missed. She was never sure how long she stayed there, but she wasn't there long on that particular Sunday. She knew she had to get to Karen's. As she was walking away, she saw a tall figure in the distance. He was looking down at a grave and his hat was twisted in his hands.

Haley halted when she recognized him. It was Nathan. She hadn't seen him since he, Lucas, and Peyton had left. He was visiting his mother; Haley was sure of it. She stopped and watched him. The look on his face pained her. He looked so distraught. Haley realized that when she visited her parents she liked to be alone. Realizing that Nathan might feel the same way, she began her walk to Karen's house. She turned to look at Nathan once more and saw him limping away from his mother's grave. His shoulders were hunched and his head was down.

As Nathan walked out of the cemetery he felt like he was being watched. Turning around, he didn't see anyone. He kept walking, unsure of where he was going. He just didn't feel like being in the house. Unexpectedly, he found himself walking past his father's club. He hadn't planned it. It was Sunday, so if things were the same as they'd been when he left, then the club was closed. He was walking past it when the door opened. Nathan ignored it and kept walking.

"Nathan."

Nathan didn't turn around. He knew that voice. His posture stiffened.

"Nathan."

Nathan did turn around this time after hearing his name.

"Dad." He barely looked at Dan. His fists clenched at his sides and he tried to remain calm. He kept repeating in his head, "Stay calm. He'll pay if you stay calm."

"You're back in Tree Hill," Dan observed.

Nathan nodded.

"I suppose since you can't play baseball anymore they kicked your sorry ass out of Duke. When were you going to tell me you were in town?"

Nathan didn't answer. His hands stayed at his sides.

"Now that you're back, you have responsibilities. You're coming to work for me at the club, Nathan. If you're not playing ball anymore I'm still keeping an eye on you. You'll be back at the house tonight."

At that Nathan had to say something. "I can't live there," his voice was nearly a whisper. "Mom."

Dan gave a slight nod. He wasn't surprised. "I guess that means you're staying with your brother."

Nathan just looked down at his shoes.

"When did you become so silent?" Dan took in his son. He wore a tweed newsboy style hat. His white shirt was wrinkled and had light blue stripes on it. Suspenders held up his trousers and his shoes were scuffed. This wasn't how the son of Dan Scott was supposed to look. "Fine. Stay with him for now. But you work for me. Do you understand that?"

He did. Nathan knew that he was going to have to keep close to Dan. He was the one who was supposed to watch Dan in case he did anything that they could use against him. That was Nathan's responsibility. That meant that he had to make Dan think that he still controlled Nathan. "I do. I understand."

"Tomorrow. You come in at five." Dan was about to walk away, but stopped. "And you'll need to come by the house at some point to meet my wife and your brother."

Nathan felt sick to his stomach. His dad was living in the house where he murdered his mother with his new wife and their son. After one of Nathan's games that Dan had attended, Dan nonchalantly informed Nathan that he'd married Rachel Gatina and that they now had a son – Tommy. Nathan briefly wondered if they spent much time in the room where Deb had died.

He stood there on the sidewalk, watching as his father climbed into his car and drove off. Getting Dan to realize that he was in town ended up being a lot easier than he thought it would be. Nathan hoped that was a good thing. The sooner he went to work for Dan, the sooner they could get this over with. It's what Nathan wanted. Even though when they were done he faced an unknown future, his desire for Dan to pay for his crimes outweighed any fear about the future. Nathan wanted the world to know what Dan had done.

Nathan headed back to the house, now done with wandering aimlessly. He didn't really want to see Lucas or Peyton yet. He still needed time to adjust to being back in Tree Hill. It wasn't easy for him. He also needed time to deal with the fact that he'd just seen Dan. Nathan could see the way his father had looked at him. Nathan had felt like he was nothing. It wasn't hard for him to feel like that, though.

* * *

><p>Haley smiled as she walked up the short steps to Karen's front door. The sun was setting and it was a beautiful night. Haley could hear voices coming from inside the house. She walked in, not needing to knock. She hadn't needed to knock in over ten years. She found Lucas and Peyton sitting in the living room with Lily. Haley looked to the kitchen and saw Karen cooking. In the dining room, Brooke was setting the table. Haley smiled at Lucas and Peyton before entering the kitchen.<p>

"How is Brooke doing with Peyton back?" Haley kept her voice at a whisper, not wanting anyone but Karen to hear.

"I think she's a little nervous. How was your visit?"

Haley shrugged. "Do you need any help?"

"It's nearly done. Go relax." Haley was about to step into the dining room. "Haley, you have to tell him about your other job soon."

"I know, Karen." Haley found Brooke re-arranging a fork that was fine the way it was. She was focusing on it with the same attention that she gave her sketches. Haley walked up to her and wrapped her arm around her friend.

Brooke understood what Haley was doing with that hug and she was grateful for it. She returned the gesture. Now that Haley was there, she just felt better about being with her former best friend again. As she had many times in the nearly two years they'd been friends, Brooke found herself so grateful for Haley.

Before long, they were sitting around the table together. Karen and Haley couldn't even begin to describe the happiness they felt at having Lucas back. They had missed him so much. They could also sense the awkwardness between Brooke and Peyton and wanted to diffuse the tension.

"So, you're going to be Tree Hill's newest deputy," Karen turned to her son.

"Yes. Jimmy Edwards is moving to Arkansas, so I got the job. I'm looking forward to it."

"I hope you're staying safe. Peyton, you were working in a record store in Durham?"

"Yes, I was. It was a fun job, actually. I got to hear a lot of really good music."

"It's the perfect job for you," Brooke said quietly, stabbing at her broccoli with her fork.

"It really was," Lucas agreed. He turned his attention to Brooke. "What have you been up to?"

"Oh, just working a little as a tailor."

"She's being modest," Haley interrupted. "She is working as a tailor around town, but she's also designing beautiful gowns. Her work is wonderful."

"So," Karen handed the potatoes to Brooke. "Nathan didn't want to come?"

"I went to the house to ask him, but he wasn't there," Lucas explained. "He's had some trouble adjusting."

"It must be awful for him to have lost baseball," Karen sympathized.

"It can't be easy for him being back here, either. It's where his mother died." Haley could imagine it. It wasn't quite the same, but she could imagine it. She didn't tell them that she had seen Nathan at the cemetery. That she fully understood. The need for privacy didn't need to be explained to her. If Nathan had wanted anyone to know where he was, he would have told Lucas or Peyton.

"He'll come around," Peyton said. "He's already a lot better than he used to be. Sort of."

"Are you two getting along?" It was the first time Brooke had spoken directly to Peyton since the two had said hello.

"We're friends now. He's quiet. He's really quiet. But, he apologized for what happened between us. I don't really have a reason to be mad at him anymore. He's actually pretty decent now that we're not dating."

"It's good that he's had the two of you," Haley said quietly.

Lucas noticed that Haley had focused her attention on the plate in front of her and was shuffling her food from side to side.

"Hales. Hales, I'm sorry," he told her.

She looked up at him, confused.

"For what?"

"For not being here for you. With Lydia and then with Jimmy. I'm sorry, Hales."

Haley tried to control her emotions. She had truly wished her best friend had been with her when her parents died, but he hadn't been. He had been in Durham forming a relationship with his brother and getting married. He'd been living his own life. She didn't want him to feel guilty.

"Oh, it's fine, Lucas. Really. I know you were busy. I had your mom and I had Brooke. I don't know what I would have done without them. The four of us, we've done all right."

"I can see that. I'm still sorry. And I'm sorry they're gone."

"Yes. I know, Lucas. I know." Haley still tried to keep her composure, not wanting to break down at the dinner table. Lydia had now been gone for over a year and Jimmy over several months. The pain still hurt like it was fresh.

"It's nice that you and Brooke have become friends," Peyton said, smiling at Brooke.

"She's been a wonderful friend," Haley smiled. "Brooke, that reminds me. While you were out with Lily today, Julian came into the café for lunch. He asked about you."

"Oh," Brooke said, trying to mask her curiosity. "He asked for me?"

"Mm hmm. He wondered where you were. He tried to hide it, but he was disappointed that you weren't there. He's sweet on you, Brooke Davis."

"No, he isn't," Brooke shrugged it off.

"Of course he is," Karen agreed with Haley.

"Who is Julian?" Peyton took a sip of her water.

"Julian wo-," Brooke began.

"Julian comes into the café from time to time. He's a friend," Haley rushed out, interrupting Brooke. She wasn't ready for the true origins of their friendship with Julian to be known.

Knowing what Haley was doing, Karen spoke up. "He's a lovely young man. He's very considerate and he's wonderful with Lily."

"He must spend a lot of time at the café," Lucas observed.

"He comes in a few times a week," Haley answered.

"What does he do?" Peyton was finding it easier to engage in conversation with her former best friend.

"He's, um, he's a bartender at Dan's," Brooke said apprehensively, looking at Haley momentarily. "But, he wants to go to Hollywood and make pictures. I think he knows everything about every movie ever."

"Dan's," Lucas repeated. "None of you should be associating with anyone who works at Dan's."

"Lucas, really," his mother scolded him. "You can trust our judgment."

"Dan's is a place where good, respectable people do not go," Lucas insisted.

"Not in front of your sister," Karen said, her voice stern.

"Sorry, mom."

The rest of the evening went smoothly. However, Haley was feeling uneasy about what Lucas had said. She hoped he would understand once she got the chance to tell him about working at Dan's. She didn't want to do it with everyone there, though. She wanted to do it when they were alone. Dinner ended early because Lucas had to start work the next morning bright and early. They did make a deal that Sunday night dinners would become a weekly occurrence.

* * *

><p>Nathan walked into Dan's uneasily the next day. The club was due to open in an hour or so and he had no idea what exactly he would be doing there. He was headed toward his father's office when Dan walked in from behind a corridor next to the stage.<p>

"Well, at least you're on time," Dan greeted him. "Get back here so you can change."

Change? Nathan was confused. He followed his dad backstage to what he assumed was the dressing room for whoever his dad had singing there now.

"Your uniform is there. Don't pay attention to the girly things she has in here," Dan waved his hand, indicating the flowers that were on the dressing table and the woman's robe hanging from the dressing screen in the corner. "When you're done, go to the bar. Julian will get you situated."

"Julian?"

"He's behind the bar. Try not to spill anything and hands off the singer," Dan ordered before leaving the room.

Nathan soon emerged in black trousers, white shirt, black vest, and black bow tie. He realized what he would be doing now. He was a bartender. He sighed. This was not where he imagined his life. As he approached the bar, he saw one man there. He was dressed in the same uniform that Nathan wore.

"You must be the boss's son," the man said. "I'm Julian Baker." Julian extended his hand for Nathan to take.

"Nathan."

"Good to know you. He, uh, he told me not to treat you any differently."

"Whatever he said, then."

"Okay," Julian nodded. "It's pretty simple. We pour drinks, we don't touch the talent."

"He mentioned that."

"So, drinks back here," Julian pointed. "Glasses are here."

Nathan paid close attention as Julian explained the job. He knew he had to do well. When he told Lucas and Peyton about the job, they had both told him that he needed to do well so that he could stay and watch Dan. He knew that, though. On another level, Nathan wanted to do well to prove something. He wanted to prove that he could do something well even if it wasn't baseball. Dan had never told him that he was good at anything. Nathan thought it was childish, but he wanted to prove that he was good at something.

The club had been open for an hour and though Nathan wasn't the fastest at getting people their drinks, he hadn't spilled anything or gotten any orders wrong yet. He was facing away from the bar filling someone's drink when he heard a familiar voice.

"Well, well. Look what the cat dragged in. When were you going to tell me you were back in town? And working for your old man?"

"Cooper," Nathan acknowledged his uncle. He couldn't help the small smile that appeared.

"You just get back?"

Nathan nodded. "What can I get you?"

"Scotch," Cooper answered. "Working for Dan?"

Nathan didn't answer. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I'm a regular. Despite the ownership, we're talking the best drinks in town. How's it going, Julian?"

Julian was walking by, getting drinks for other customers. "Same as always, Cooper. You?"

"Oh, I can't complain. Well… I could."

"You come here for the drinks?" Nathan felt good talking to Cooper. Though they'd written letters, it was nice talking to him face to face. Cooper was like a connection to his mother. Even though Nathan hadn't been close to his mother, he still wanted that connection to her.

"And the entertainment. Best in town," Cooper said. "In fact, she's due on stage any minute now."

Nathan busied himself getting Cooper's drink and shook his head. Cooper always had a way with women and if Cooper was coming here for this woman, Nathan was sure there was something going on between them. He was only half paying attention when the lights toward the front of the club dimmed and Chris Keller began speaking.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we at Dan's are pleased to present to you for your entertainment Ms. Haley James accompanied by the Chris Keller Seven."

Nathan nearly dropped Cooper's drink when he heard the name. He couldn't have heard that correctly. She couldn't be working here. He turned around, setting Cooper's drink about a foot away from where Cooper actually was.

Nathan's throat went dry and his palms began to sweat. She was stunningly beautiful in her emerald green gown. It was cut low, but it wasn't trashy. It hugged her curves perfectly. Her hands were covered in white satin gloves that went up to her elbows and they gracefully touched the microphone before she began singing.

"_They asked me how I knew,  
>My true love was true,<br>I of course replied,  
>"Something here inside,<br>Cannot be denied",_

_They said someday you'll find,  
>All who love are blind,<br>When your heart's on fire,  
>You don't realize,<br>Smoke gets in your eyes,_

_So I chaffed and I gaily laughed,  
>To think they would doubt my love,<br>Yet today, my love has flown away,  
>I am without my love,<em>

_Now laughing friends deride,  
>Tears I cannot hide,<br>So I smile and say,  
>"When a lovely flame dies,<br>Smoke gets in your eyes."_

"She gets 'em all every time," Cooper said once she'd finished the song and started another one. "She kills it."

"That she does," Julian agreed.

"What is she doing here?" Nathan didn't realize he had said it aloud. He thought that he'd thought it. He realized he hadn't when Julian spoke.

"Working. Like the rest of us."

"She's too good for this place. Unlike the rest of us," Cooper joked. "She's a good kid."

Nathan tried to keep his cool, but it was difficult. He didn't want her here. She needed to stay away from Dan. That's what he wanted for her.

A few songs later, Haley was going through her nightly routine of walking through the club. It allowed the customers to comment on her performance. It was something that Dan insisted on. She made her away around the club before reaching the bar. She smiled when she saw Cooper and Julian.

"Cooper, how are you this evening?"

"Better now that you're here."

"You need to stop flirting with me," Haley joked. "One of these days, I may take you seriously."

Nathan's stomach churned hearing her say that. He tried to focus on the drink he was pouring.

"Hiya, Haley," Julian said to her, smiling. "Your usual?"

"Thank you." She took her drink from him, sipping the cider. She stopped as she was about to take a second sip when she saw Nathan behind the bar. The day before, she had seen him from afar. She was surprised to see him here. "Hello," she said to him.

Nathan looked at her and found that her eyes held the same warmth they had held two years ago. As much as he longed for that, he also didn't want to see that. She shouldn't be here and she shouldn't be around him. He had a job to do there and it wasn't pouring drinks.

"Ma'am," he finally said.

"That's quite formal," she commented, unsure of what was going on. "How have you been?"

"I'm fine," he answered, his tone curt. He walked away, attempting to conceal his limp from her. He couldn't explain it, but he didn't want her seeing that.

Haley stared after him, bewildered. What had just happened? His expression had been so vacant. Haley wasn't sure what she had expected. He had been gone for two years and their only encounter had been at a time when he was going through hell. She had thought that maybe she'd gotten a glimpse of the real Nathan that night. Now that he'd spent two years with Lucas, she was even more sure of it. Lucas had said that Nathan changed. Peyton had told her the night before that Nathan had changed. Yet, his behavior confused her. He'd acted so coldly toward her. She tried to not let it bother her as she performed for the rest of the night. For the rest of the night, she noticed that he ignored her. She thought that she had seen him looking her way, but when she looked again, he was working.

* * *

><p>Nathan hurried. He carried his old clothes under his arm, having waited until after Haley left to retrieve them from what he now knew was her dressing room. He hadn't even noticed her walk into the club that night. He hurried, his vest unbuttoned and his tie undone and hanging from around his neck.<p>

As quickly as his knee would allow, Nathan made his way back to Peyton's house. This wasn't what he imagined his first night at work would be like. He hadn't planned on seeing her. He wanted her faith in him to be right, but he also wanted to avoid her. Now he wouldn't be able to.

Nathan barged into the house. The door slammed against the wall. Lucas nearly jumped from his seat on the sofa where he'd been reading a book. Peyton came in from the kitchen, curious about the commotion.

"Why didn't you tell me she was working there, Lucas?" Nathan's voice was loud and demanding. It was also slightly shaking. "I told you I had a job there and you didn't tell me that she was there."

"Who?" Lucas set his book down.

"Who? Who? Haley. Lucas, Haley. Why didn't you tell me that she would be there? What is she doing at Dan's?"

"Haley is working at Dan's?" Peyton could see how agitated Nathan was and she kept her voice calm.

"That's not possible," Lucas said. "She wouldn't… Nathan, are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure," Nathan bellowed. "She talked right to me. She was right in front of me. She was friends with Cooper and with Julian, the other bartender."

"Julian," Lucas repeated. "She's working for Dan? Doing what?"

"She sings," Nathan answered, his voice now lowering.

"I didn't know she sang," Lucas said. "She's singing at Dan's?"

"Would you stop repeating what I'm saying, Lucas? What is she doing there?"

"I don't know. I didn't know she was working there until you came in here, Nathan. I want to know too. What the hell is she doing working for Dan? She knows how I feel about him. She knows what he did to my mom. What the hell is going on?" Lucas stood up and began pacing the living room.

"Ask her," Peyton said. "Lucas, she's your best friend. Talk to her and ask her. Maybe the reason she didn't tell you is that she knew this would happen."

Lucas nodded, his hands on his hips. He had stopped pacing. "I'll ask her. I'll go over first thing in the morning." He looked at Nathan and could see the anxiety on his brother's face. "How was it?"

Nathan just shook his head, turned, and went up the stairs. Lucas and Peyton could hear him muttering, "She doesn't belong there."

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> Well, that's their reunion, so to speak. I hope you enjoyed it! I really do love when you review. :)


	7. I'm No Good For Her

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Note:** Thank you so much for the response! It's getting fun now that Naley are talking to each other. Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Lucas hadn't slept well at all. Peyton tried to calm him down and told him the same thing she had told him earlier. She urged him to talk to Haley before rushing to judgment. She reminded him that he had no reason not to trust Haley. Lucas tried to remember that as he walked through Tree Hill on his way to his mother's café.<p>

The sun wasn't completely up yet and the spring morning was cool. He'd left earlier than he needed to. He had to see Haley before going into work. As he approached the café, he saw her silhouette in the window. She was always an early riser. He knew she would be awake. He used his key to the café to get in and took a deep breath as he went to the door of her apartment. He remembered getting the letters from her and from his mother letting him know that she would be living here. He had been surprised, but happy. Some of his earliest memories were of living in that little apartment with his mother.

Apprehensively, he knocked on her door. He could hear her moving around in the apartment and could tell when she got to the door. She opened it, looking surprised and happy to see him.

"Good morning," she tied her robe around her body a little tighter, moving aside so that he could come in. "So, this is you in your uniform. It looks good on you, Lucas."

He stood there before her in his navy blue uniform, the leather belt polished and the buttons shining. He took his hat off and put it under his arm. He wiped his feet on the mat she'd laid out before walking inside.

"Morning, Haley," he said, mustering up a small smile. He looked around. It definitely had her mark on it. The apartment was small, but she'd made the most of it.

"Do you want anything? I could go downstairs and get you a cup of coffee," she offered.

"No, no, I'm fine. I just thought I'd come by and see what you've done with the place," he lied. "It looks good." At least that wasn't a lie. He looked around and saw hanging in the open closet a few gowns in several colors. He'd never seen Haley wear anything so fancy before. She was always more simple. She was always more like the way he'd seen her yesterday. Imagining her working in that club, wearing more makeup than she should have been wearing, and clothes she couldn't be in… he felt himself getting angry.

"So, what did you do last night?" Lucas took a seat on the small sofa that Haley had brought in. He recognized it as the sofa from her parents's home.

Haley looked at him curiously. She didn't want to lie to him, but something about this visit felt off. She noticed that Lucas seemed nervous. This just didn't feel like the right time to tell him about her job.

"I had a quiet night. What about you? How was your first day as Tree Hill's newest deputy? I'm really proud of you, Lucas."

"Thank you. It was good. Everyone was very welcoming. The sheriff seemed a little… well, it doesn't matter."

She looked at him curiously. She was now sitting next to him. "What aren't you telling me?"

Lucas let out a little chuckle. "So you just had a quiet night last night, Haley?"

She had an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Lucas…"

"Maybe you went out. Maybe sang a few songs or something." He was going to ask her calmly, but she lied to him. He couldn't take that. She was his best friend and she had never lied to him before.

Haley closed her eyes. "Nathan told you." She didn't have to question it. She knew it. She should have known it. She'd gotten home late, as she usually did. She went straight to bed and had only woken up twenty minutes before Lucas arrived. She hadn't had time to think about the fact that Nathan would surely tell him that he'd seen her working at Dan's. She hadn't had time to think about it the night before because she couldn't stop thinking about how cold Nathan had been to her.

Lucas stood up and began pacing, his hat clutched in his hands. "You should have told me."

"I know that, Lucas."

"Why didn't you?"

"Because I knew you'd react like this. I knew the longer I put it off the worse it would be, so I kept putting it off because I didn't want this to happen."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why are you working there, Haley? After everything Dan has done! You know what he did to my mother and me. You know what kind of a person he is!" Lucas's voice was getting louder. He was nearly shouting at her and it was making her angry.

"I needed money, Lucas. I need to not only support myself, but I need to save money. In case you had forgotten, I still want to go to college. That costs money."

"Haley, not like this. Not like this!"

"Then how? No one else was hiring! Believe me, I knew you weren't going to like this."

"I hate it, Haley! You're done. You're quitting and you're never going back there!"

Haley stood there, shocked. She could feel her anger growing and she was sure her face was turning red. "You aren't telling me what I can or cannot do, Lucas Scott! Just because you're back doesn't mean I still don't need the money!"

"I'll give you the money!"

"No, you won't. Don't think your mother hasn't offered something similar. I am not taking charity. I'm standing on my own two feet, Lucas."

"You are not working there!"

"I don't know who you think you are, but you are not telling me where I can't work. I'm keeping the job there."

"No, you're not."

"This is my life, Lucas! My life. Now, I know I should have told you about this sooner, but this is still my choice. I've handled it just fine in the time you've been gone."

"You can do better, Haley. You don't belong at Dan's. You're too good for it."

"But Nathan's not? Lucas, you've been gone. For nearly two years, you haven't been here. A lot has happened and it's been hard. But I made you a promise. I promised that I would stay here and take care of your mom and Lily. While you were off becoming a deputy and getting married and getting a brother, my life fell apart. I lost just about everything, but I'm still here and I am taking care of myself, Lucas. And this is how I'm doing it!"

"You didn't have to stay. If it would have been easier, you didn't have to stay."

"Lucas, you have got to be kidding me. When have I ever broken a promise to you? When?"

"Never."

"And I wasn't about to start with something like this. You told me you could only do whatever it was you needed to do with Nathan if I was here looking after them. I did it and I don't regret it, but that doesn't meet I still don't need to support myself. You lived your life while you were gone, I've lived mine. This is my job. I'm keeping it. You don't get to come into my home, start interrogating me, and start making demands. You don't have to like it, but you have to respect my decision.

"I missed you, Lucas. And I love you like my own brother. And I am sorry that you found out like this instead of from me. But you don't get to tell me what to do."

"Haley, I'm trying to look out for you. You cannot work there."

"Lucas, you don't get to not look after me for two years and then come in here and make demands. It doesn't work that way. I've worked there for months without a problem. I'm going to continue working there. It's good money and I actually enjoy performing. I don't want to fight with you, Lucas."

"I'm not trying to fight with you, Hales," he said, using her nickname for the first time that morning. He sat back down and put his head in his hands.

"Well, then you shouldn't have come in here shouting at me."

"You should have been honest with me."

"I know that. I've apologized. You still shouldn't have shouted at me."

"Nathan's too good for Dan's too. It's complicated. It's something that he needs to do."

"You're not going to explain this to me, are you?"

"I can't right now, Hales."

She nodded her head. "Fine. You want me to trust you, right?"

"Yes."

"Then you have to trust me."

"Haley, this is different," he protested.

"Lucas, unless you can explain to me how it's different, then this is how it's going to be. I trust you and you trust me. It's just like how it's always been."

Lucas sat still and thought. Up until recently, she had never lied to him before. "All right, Hales. Just be careful."

"I've managed just fine for months, Lucas. It isn't all that bad, really. Dan leaves me alone, the customers keep their distance, and I have friends there."

"That Julian that likes Brooke? You met him there?"

"Yes. I did," she answered. "He's a sweet man."

"You'll tell me if anything happens? If you need help with anything?"

"Lucas, I'm fine."

"Haley. Please, if there's a problem, tell me."

"I will come to you if there's something I can't handle."

Knowing that he wasn't going to get anything further from her, Lucas hugged his best friend.

"You have to get to work and I have to open the café," Haley said, wanting him to leave. She was still a little upset with him. A part of her was also upset with Nathan for telling him. She knew that responsibility was hers, though.

She continued to think about her confrontation with Lucas as she prepared the café to be opened. She knew this wouldn't have happened if she'd just told him about the job when she got it. She also still couldn't help feeling angry at Lucas. She was also a little hurt. As much as he didn't like her current situation, he didn't have a right to yell at her. Over ten years of friendship should have meant that he trusted her.

She couldn't believe that he came into her home and started making demands of her. He had been gone and she had missed him. She missed out on him attempting his new career, she missed out on seeing him form a relationship with his brother, and she missed him getting married. He had missed both of her parents dying and everything that came with it. He had moved on with his life and she had moved on with hers.

She didn't regret staying in Tree Hill and helping Karen and Lily. After her parents died, it was a nice excuse to have something to do. It was something that made her feel like she had a purpose. As hard as it had been and with what she had to do, she still didn't regret the decision.

Haley was having a long day. The café had been busy and she had to go to Dan's early to rehearse with Chris and the band. She was feeling tired and irritated by the time she had to go to her dressing room and change.

Her mood didn't improve as she stepped on stage. She performed just as she always did. She smiled and she put on a show, but she couldn't bring herself to be truly happy about it. She kept thinking about Lucas and how he told her that she shouldn't be here. She was familiar with the club and just about everyone in it. Yes, it did cater to a seedier crowd that she was used to being around. By now, the club was familiar. She liked being on stage and singing and if the enthusiasm of the club's patrons was any indication, she was good at it.

After about an hour of performing, she was walking through the club. She made her way toward the bar and saw Nathan with his back toward her. She approached and smiled politely at Julian and Cooper. She didn't look at Julian as he handed her her drink.

Nathan finally did turn around. When she came on stage he, once again, became transfixed by her. That one night he'd been in her presence, he noticed her warmth. Before that, seeing her around school, he had noticed that she was pretty. Now, seeing her again, he realized that she was beautiful. She was easily the most beautiful person he'd laid eyes on.

When he turned around, he found that she was staring right at him. She didn't look happy. Part of him was sad, but another part wasn't. The part that wasn't was the part that knew she would be safer staying away from him.

Haley knew that it was irrational to be angry with Nathan about what happened with Lucas, but she couldn't help it.

"He didn't know that I work here," she said to him, glaring at him.

With that glare, Haley made him feel as if he were only six inches tall. He didn't respond to her.

"I didn't get the chance to tell him myself. I was going to." She wasn't even sure why she was explaining this to him. She didn't owe him anything. She just felt like he needed to know that she wasn't trying to sneak around behind Lucas's back.

Nathan continued to stare at her. It only made her angrier. "Are you going to say anything to me?"

He opened his mouth to speak, but wasn't sure what to say. It was then that two drunk customers walked behind her. "Oh, sweetie. What I wouldn't give for some alone time with you. We could have some fun," one of them slurred.

Nathan knew exactly what to say after hearing that. His blood was boiling after hearing that. Once the two customers had passed them and were out of earshot, Nathan spoke to her. "You don't belong here."

Nathan was the second person who had told Haley that she didn't belong there that day and she'd reached her limit. Honestly, she had reached her limit when Lucas shouted at her.

"You know what? You don't know me, Nathan. You don't know who I am or where I belong. You and your brother have been gone for the past two years and life moved on. That involves me working here. Despite what the two of you think, I can handle it here. A couple of comments from some drunken customers, I can handle that.

"Do you realize that that there was the first full sentence you've said to me? I get that you've been through a lot. You're not the only one. That doesn't give you the right to be rude to people." Before he had a chance to say anything, Haley turned on her heel and walked back to the stage. Once there, she whispered something to Chris. The band began playing and she began singing.

Nathan just stared after her. No one had ever spoken to him like that, least of all a girl. In his attempts to get her to stay away, it hadn't occurred to him that she would be offended or angry.

Sitting at the bar, Cooper laughed. "What did you do to set her off?"

"I didn't-," Nathan began.

"You did something. You should be nice to her, Nate. She's a good girl."

Nathan looked at Cooper, who was watching Haley on stage. He couldn't help the words that came out his mouth next. "Are you two…? I mean-"

"No, no. Not at all. She's a good kid, Nathan. Any man would be lucky. But she doesn't give anyone in here the time of day. At least not like that. Besides, she's not right for me. You, though…"

"What?" Nathan was shocked.

"She'd be good for you. The way she just gave it to you with both barrels. You need that sometimes. And I've been telling you, you need to date. Get out there, meet a nice girl. That's a nice girl."

"I'm no good for her," Nathan said quietly, not trying to be heard.

"That's ridiculous, Nate. You're a good man, unlike your father. You're right about her. She doesn't belong in a place like this. Neither do you for that matter. Take a chance, nephew. Move on. It's what your mom would want for you."

In the nearly two years since her death, Nathan hadn't considered what his mother would want for him. Now, thinking about it, he felt guilty. His relationship with his mother, similar to the one with his father, hadn't been easy. Deb was drunk often. He remembered that when he was younger, she had been warm and comforting. The older he got, the worse his dad's treatment got for both of them. The worse that Dan got, the more that Deb drank. The one thing he knew for certain is that she wouldn't want him being like his father.

When Dan lost baseball, he became bitter and mean. Nathan briefly resorted to that behavior after his injury, but he stopped it. If he was going to avoid being like Dan Scott, that would mean treating women with respect. That would mean finding a woman that he loved and who loved him.

What Nathan felt that Cooper didn't understand was that Nathan had a mission. He and Lucas were working together and now that they were back in Tree Hill, they were focused on that. Lucas may have taken the time to settle down and make a life with someone. Nathan didn't have that choice. Maybe if he'd met someone back in Durham. However, in Tree Hill, it was just too dangerous. They couldn't let anyone else in on their plan. It was bad enough that Peyton knew. The fewer that knew the better. Staying away from Haley would keep her safe.

He appreciated that Haley was trying to be nice to him. He didn't deserve it, but she was nice to him. She had been the night that he found Deb and Keith and she had been nice last night. She had greeted him so kindly. Now, he was being rude to her. She was good and kind and he didn't want her mixed up in what was going on with him.

Nathan was also sure that any feelings he had for her were based on the kindness that she extended to him after his mother died. There couldn't be anything deeper. Yes, she was beautiful, but he didn't even know her. She was a kind person. He knew that about her. That's what made him want to make sure that she was safe. It was bad enough that as Lucas's best friend, she would have to be around him. If she stayed away from Nathan it would be better.

Dating was out of the question. Especially when it came to Haley James. Nathan was sure that he didn't like her the way that Cooper was indicating. He just thought she was a very nice, very good person.

The night wore on and it came time to close the club. As the club's employees were walking out, Nathan noticed Haley walk off down the street by herself. She was heading in the opposite direction of Peyton's house. He paused, pretending that he was looking for something in his pockets.

Julian noticed Nathan. "Lose something?"

"No, it's fine," Nathan answered. "Go ahead."

With a nod, Julian left. After he had walked and turned a corner, Nathan looked back at Haley. It was late and she was walking by herself. Nathan turned his head left and right. He noticed that all of the other club employees had gone off and different directions. Slowly, Nathan walked in the same direction as Haley.

Nathan made sure to keep his distance. At one point, he saw her turning around. Quickly, he ducked behind a building and waited a few seconds before following her again. He kept following her until he saw her approach the café. He stood in the doorway of a shop just down the street from the café. He watched as she made it inside the café and locked the door behind her. He waited until he saw her silhouette from inside the apartment upstairs before leaving and walking home.

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><p>Nathan walked into Peyton's house and, given the late hour, was surprised to see her on the couch with a book. She looked up at him and smiled.<p>

"Lucas is still at the station," she explained.

"Oh, okay."

"So, we haven't talked. How's the job going?"

Nathan shrugged. "It's a job. It's getting me close to Dan, I guess."

"So, Haley's singing? How is she?" Peyton's expression brightened. She really had missed Haley James.

Nathan chose his words carefully. "She's very good."

"Really? That's great. Haley can be a little shy, so I'm glad she's doing something like this."

"Why? I mean, everyone seems to think it's a bad idea that she works there."

"Oh, it definitely is," Peyton agreed. "She shouldn't be around your father. I know she doesn't know everything that he's done, but still. No, I just mean it's great she's sharing her greatness with the world. She's a great friend. If she's a good singer, she should share it. It's just too bad she has to be at Dan's."

Nathan took a seat next to her.

"Lucas talked to her this morning. Well, actually, he shouted at her."

Nathan tried not to react to this. He didn't understand what was happening to him. He followed Haley home and now he was trying not to be upset that Lucas had shouted at her.

"Why did he yell at her?"

"Because she's working at Dan's. Why else? Anyway, he said she gave as good as she got. That's the Haley I know and love. It's been rough on her these past two years and I think Lucas blames himself a little bit since he asked her to look after Karen and Lily. Still, she did what she had to do. I get that. I respect that."

"He should have come back to see her when her mom and dad died."

"I know you think so." Peyton had been the one to listen when Nathan wondered why Lucas didn't come to visit when Haley's parents died. "He did what he thought was right."

"I think… I think she needed him."

Peyton decided not to comment on that. "So, I may have to go in there and see her. If she's as good as you say she is, that'd be worth hearing."

"I don't think Lucas will like that."

"He may be my husband, but he doesn't own me."

Nathan chuckled. He thought about what Haley said to him earlier. "Peyton, do you think I'm rude?"

"You can be. Especially if you're in a bad mood."

Nathan looked down at his hat in his hands. "Goodnight, Peyton."

* * *

><p>The next day, Haley felt guilty. She was in the café, cleaning off a table after a customer had left. Brooke was sitting at the counter with a bowl of soup.<p>

"What's bothering you today?" Brooke could read Haley so well. She could tell in the time that she'd been at the café that something was bothering her friend.

"I'm fine, Brooke."

"No, you're not. Come on, out with it."

Haley let out a defeated sigh. "You can tell something's wrong?"

"Yes. Now, what's going on?"

"Lucas came by yesterday morning. He found out from Nathan that I'm working at Dan's. He shouted at me then I shouted at him. He tried telling me what to do and we talked it out, but I was still so annoyed by the whole thing. I was in a bad mood. Then, I get to the club and try to talk to Nathan and he ignores me for the second night in a row. I was sort of rude to him. I was taking out my frustrations over what was going on with Lucas out on Nathan. It wasn't fair."

"So, you feel guilty about being mean to Nathan?"

"Mean? I didn't say mean. I said rude. And he was rude first," Haley argued, defensively. "He barely said three words to me on Sunday night and I was nothing but nice to him. Then, he tells Lucas about me singing at the club before I have a chance to tell Lucas."

"To be fair, you've had chances to tell Lucas. You just didn't want to."

"Whose side are you on?" Haley glared, but she knew Brooke was right.

"Yours. Always."

"I know that, Brooke. I know I should have told Lucas myself. It was just so hard. I knew he wouldn't like it."

"So, what happened last night?"

"I told him that I talked to Lucas. When he didn't answer I guess my bad mood got the best of me. Then, he said the same thing that Lucas did."

"What did Lucas say? And Nathan?"

"They said I didn't belong at Dan's."

"Well…"

"Well what?"

"Well, you don't. Haley, you're wholesome and classy. You're a lady. Ladies don't belong in Dan's. Women like Rachel Gatina belong in Dan's. In more ways than one."

"Brooke!"

"Oh, it's true and you know it. Anyway, I love that you get to share your talent. You're too good for the world not to know it."

"Well, the world doesn't."

"Tree Hill does. Anyway, they're right. If there were somewhere else for you to share that, then that would be great. But I think what they're having trouble understanding is that you didn't have a lot of options. You needed the money and this is how you're doing it. They just want to protect you."

"Lucas does. I get that. I don't even know Nathan, though. Why would he want to protect me?"

"Maybe he's got a thing for you?"

"Brooke, don't be ridiculous."

"Oh, come on. I've been in that club, Haley. I've heard how those men talk about you. They don't say the nicest of things, but they like you. You're a beautiful woman. Nathan has probably noticed."

"Brooke, I doubt that. If his behavior is an indication, and it is, he doesn't like me."

"Sure. If that's your story."

Haley bit down on her lip while pouring a cup of coffee for another customer.

"You're biting your lip. What else is going on?"

"If I tell you nothing will you believe me?"

"No."

"I thought someone was following me last night."

"Following you?"

"Yes. I was walking home and I thought that there was someone behind me. I turned around, but they were gone."

"Are you all right? Maybe we should have Julian walk you home."

"He's offered before. I'm fine, Brooke. I'm sure I was just imaging things. You know, like you are when you say that Nathan likes me."

"I think I'm right about that."

"Brooke, when is the last time that you saw Nathan Scott?"

"Over two years ago. Right after he and Peyton broke up."

"See, so you haven't seen him in a long time. You have no idea what's going on with him. Just like you don't realize that Julian likes you."

"He wouldn't, Haley."

"And why not?"

"Because, he's…," she was trying to figure out a reason.

"Because you're beautiful, kind, talented, and wonderful. He likes you. You'd be lucky to have each other. Who knows, maybe I'll invite him to Sunday dinner this week."

"That would be fine. Julian can come if he wants. But it won't be because he wants to see me."

"Sure, if that's your story," Haley repeated Brooke's earlier words.

"Maybe I'll come into the club tonight. Maybe then I'll see what exactly is going on with Nathan Scott."

"Brooke, please don't interfere."

"Who said anything about interfering? I'm just going to observe. Besides, I'll stay behind and we can walk home together."

"Then who's going to walk you back to Karen's?"

"I'll walk myself."

"So, you can walk home by yourself and I can't walk by myself?"

"No one is stalking me."

"No one is talking me either," Haley insisted.

"I just want you to stay safe, Tutor Girl." Brooke watched Haley as she worked. "So, why are you so concerned about whether or not you were rude to Nathan anyway? Maybe you like him."

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><p><strong>Note:<strong> I hope you enjoyed that! Thank you for reading and reviewing! I'll try to have the next chapter up soon!


	8. Some Hope

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Note:** Sorry that took so long. I had trouble getting started with this chapter. I hope you like it. Thank you for the reviews!

* * *

><p>Saturday night was always the busiest night of the week at Dan's. Peyton walked through the crowds. She had never been in the club before. She would have never considered it before they left for Durham. She wouldn't have considered it at all if Haley wasn't working there.<p>

Peyton arrived at the bar. Leaning on it was none other than Brooke in a stunning red gown, her lipstick matching perfectly.

"Well, well, I didn't think I'd see you in here," Brooke greeted Peyton.

Peyton shrugged. "I thought I'd come and see our friend perform. She goes on at eight, right?"

"Sure does."

"Where's Nathan?" Peyton looked behind the bar, but didn't see her brother-in-law.

"He's around here somewhere," Brooke answered flippantly.

"You don't seem like Nathan's biggest fan."

"Oh, no. I don't have a problem with Nathan at all. No, he just gets kind of focused when he's at work."

Peyton nodded. "Yes, he's, uh, he's definitely focused on it."

"He's different than he was before." Brooke briefly looked at Peyton, then back at the drink in her hand.

"Yeah, losing his mom changed him a lot. He's quieter, but I think it's for the best."

"So, he's a good guy now?" Brooke tried not to let on that she was digging for information. She never could resist the chance to play matchmaker. She wasn't sure it was what Haley wanted, but she knew that Haley needed someone in her life that she could rely on and share things with. Brooke understood that she and Karen were there for Haley and they always would be. Brooke still believed with everything in her that Haley deserved someone to make her feel special. If her agitation during the week about Nathan was any indication, then Brooke felt that Haley may have feelings for Nathan. Brooke was also sure that Haley didn't even realize it. She had spent so much time focusing on taking care of others that Brooke doubted that Haley had taken the time to consider doing something for herself.

So, now Brooke found herself glad that Peyton had showed up that night. Now Brooke could try to discreetly get information out of Peyton. If Haley had feelings for Nathan, then Brooke wanted to make sure that Nathan was good enough for her friend. Brooke decided that any man who was interested in Haley needed the Brooke Davis seal of approval. She had come to the club a couple of times during the week to try to get to know Nathan, but he was like a brick wall. What Brooke had noticed was that Nathan and Haley would steal glances at each other and then look away when the other looked back.

"I think he was always a good guy," Peyton admitted. "Now he's just letting himself be. It's just…"

"Just what?"

"He keeps things closed in."

Brooke nodded her head. "You know, Haley does too a little bit. Ever since her parents. She's still the sweet, loving Haley we know. But she is a little more guarded. If you ask her how she is, she'll tell you that she's fine. She won't let anyone know how much it hurts."

Brooke stopped talking when Haley's name was announced and she stepped onstage. Both she and Peyton looked to the stage as Haley began singing. Brooke looked behind her for a moment when she heard a glass clink. She saw Nathan staring at Haley. He had finally come back from wherever he had been. Brooke noticed that it was just in time for Haley's performance and she wondered if Nathan timed it that way. She couldn't help but notice as Nathan watched Haley with such, well, focus. Brooke almost felt like she was intruding on them. She tried turning her attention back to the stage, but nudged Peyton with her elbow. She nodded her head in Nathan's direction.

Peyton was surprised by what she saw. She had felt that Nathan had some strong feelings for Haley, but she was never able to figure out what they were. She saw his concern for Haley while they lived in Durham and he would ask about her. She had seen how much it bothered him that Haley was working here and the possibility that he had been rude to her. Now, she was watching him and she noticed that it was a wonder that his mouth wasn't hanging open. She had never seen Nathan Scott look at anyone that way.

Both Brooke and Peyton shifted their focus from Nathan and Haley throughout Haley's performance. Peyton was genuinely proud of how talented Haley was. Her voice was incredible. Haley told the audience that she was going to take a quick break and then began making her rounds throughout the crowd.

"Lucas wouldn't want you here," Nathan said from behind the bar. He didn't want to speak to Peyton while Haley was singing. He wanted to let her enjoy the show, but most of all he wanted to hear Haley sing. He wouldn't admit it, but it was becoming the highlight of his nights.

Peyton rolled her eyes at Nathan. "He's at work and I'm here watching my friend perform. Besides, if he asks about it, I have you to keep an eye on me. Not that I need it."

"Evening, Nathan," Brooke said, having watched the exchange between the two. She could tell that Nathan wasn't quite satisfied with Peyton's response.

"Brooke," Nathan replied. He quickly walked away, taking the order of a customer at the other end of the bar.

"Did you see that?" Peyton turned her body so that she was facing Brooke. It almost seemed normal. The two were talking to each other just as they used to. It was almost like they were friends again. "The way he was looking at her, I mean."

"It's not the first time he's done it."

"You've seen it?"

"I've been in a couple of times since you guys came back. I know it's been less than a week, but he's definitely been doing it. He just watches her sing. Then, she comes over here for her drink and he all but ignores her. Watch and see."

Peyton did as Brooke instructed and eventually, Haley made her way to the bar. She smiled brightly when she saw Peyton there.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to see my friend perform. You were great, Haley! Really, you were." The two women embraced.

"You know, Lucas isn't going to like that you're here," Haley told her. She quickly hugged Brooke.

"So I've been told." Peyton took a sip of her drink. "So, why didn't you ever tell us that you could sing? Not only can you sing, but you can sing like that."

"I don't think she even knew she was that talented," Brooke interrupted. "She's been brushing it off ever since I figured it out."

"How did you figure it out?"

"I heard her singing to Lily," Brooke explained.

"So, you only sing for babies?"

"Not anymore," Haley answered.

"No, now all of Tree Hill gets to hear you. Well done, Haley James."

"Thank you." Haley looked toward the bar, waiting for Julian. He was usually ready with her drink when she came by. Given the night's crowd, though, he was with some other customers.

"Lovely, as always, Miss James." A voice dripping with charm came from Peyton's left.

"Cooper, how are you this evening?"

"Miss James, my evenings are always better after I get to hear you."

"And who is this?" Peyton looked between Cooper and Haley.

"This is Cooper," Haley introduced him. "He comes in often." Haley looked again to the bar.

Nathan had noticed Haley looking to Julian, but saw that his fellow bartender was busy. He took it upon himself to get Haley her usual drink. During the past week, he had become familiar with what Julian always handed her once she made her way to the back.

Nathan set the drink on the top of the bar, allowing himself to momentarily look her in the eye before looking down at the ground.

Haley looked, stunned. She hadn't realized that Nathan knew what she drank or even knew that she was looking for her drink. As soon as that thought entered her head, she realized how ridiculous it was. Of course he knew. She came here at this time every night for it. Still, she couldn't help but feel that maybe she was making some headway with him. That was the nicest thing he had done since he began working there.

She stopped him after he turned and began to approach another customer. "Nathan. Thank you."

Nathan didn't reply. He turned and went to another customer, going about doing his job.

"Of course," Haley muttered under her breath. She was now thinking that Nathan probably only handed her the drink to get rid of her. He really didn't want her there.

"You really have made an impression on my nephew," Cooper said.

"Your nephew?" Haley looked at Cooper, confused. Other than the fact that he came into the club nightly, she really knew very little about him, she realized.

"Yes, Nathan is my nephew. You didn't know that?"

Haley shook her head.

"My older sister, Deb, was-," he began.

"Nathan's mother," Haley finished. "I'm sorry. I hadn't realized."

"Oh, if I had known that you two knew each other I would have mentioned it sooner."

"We don't really know each other," Haley said. "Not really. Do you two know each other?" Haley looked at Peyton.

"No, but when Nathan and I were seeing each other he didn't really bring me around to meet the family."

"That's probably for the best. Dan Scott is the scum of the earth," Cooper said through clenched teeth.

"And yet you frequent his establishment," Haley observed.

"The entertainment far outweighs the ownership. That's a compliment, Haley. You are a much stronger force than Dan Scott."

From behind the bar, Nathan could hear his uncle talking. He was beginning to know just how true Cooper's words were. Haley James definitely was a force. He was experiencing that working in her vicinity. He tried to stop, but he couldn't help but watch her as she performed. It was a struggle, juggling working while watching her. He also couldn't help himself from following her home each night to make sure that she made it to the café safely.

The fact that he followed her home was his secret. He had taken to walking a block on his own in the direction of Peyton's house, then turning back and quietly following her. Since that first night, she hadn't looked back to see if someone was there. He realized that if anyone caught him they would think that he was up to no good. He didn't even know how she would react if she knew. He couldn't help it. She had helped him so much the night he found Deb and Keith and even during his time in Durham.

It was even his desire to prove her faith in him correct that had him getting his act together after he ruined his knee. He realized how ridiculous that was. She didn't have faith in him. That faith in him was a figment of his whiskey soaked brain.

He knew that he was still being rude. If he wanted to continue that, he shouldn't have brought her her drink. It was hard being rude to her, though. Even though now, after this going on for days, she was never more than cordial to him, it was hard for him to be rude to her. He wanted to be nice and he wanted to be friendly. Those were two things he hadn't felt like being in a long, long time. In fact, he couldn't remember a time when he wanted to be nice or friendly to anyone.

"So, you're Handsome Uncle Cooper," Brooke Davis said, eyeing Cooper.

"Julian," Haley said a little loudly. "You've been busy tonight."

"Sorry about that. I can get you your drink," he said.

"Nathan already did it," Peyton told him. "It's nice to meet you, I'm Peyton Scott."

Julian shook her hand politely. "Nathan got you your drink?" Julian couldn't hide the surprise in his voice.

"He did," Brooke confirmed. "It's nice to see you tonight, Julian."

"You too, Brooke. You look beautiful."

"Well, it is a new dress."

"I don't think it's the dress. If you don't mind me saying."

"She doesn't," Haley answered. Haley looked at Peyton and an idea entered her mind. "Julian, we've begun a new tradition. Every Sunday, we have dinner at Karen's house. Karen, Peyton, Lucas, Lily, Brooke, and myself. You should come this Sunday. Be there at six o'clock."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to impose."

"You wouldn't be," Peyton said. "We'd love to have you. Wouldn't we Brooke?" Peyton had seen that when Julian began speaking to her, Brooke suddenly became uncharacteristically shy.

"Yes," Brooke managed to say. She felt as if she might blush. Blushing was not something that Brooke Davis did. Blushing was something that Haley did. "You should come, Julian."

"All right. That sounds swell. I'll be there."

"I'll get you the address," Haley stated. "I'd better get back on stage."

"Haley, you should come by the house tomorrow after you open the café. It would be good to catch up."

"I will, Peyton. Thank you."

Haley retreated to the stage, saying something to Chris before beginning the rest of her performance.

"You should come too, B. Davis." Peyton looked to her former best friend, trying to gauge her reaction. She could tell that Brooke was stunned.

Peyton hadn't used her old nickname for Brooke in a long time. Brooke had missed it and hearing it gave her some hope. She didn't know if she and Peyton could ever get back to being the way they were. She would still like it if they could be friends. It would be nice to have Peyton back. Brooke also felt that it would be nice if she didn't feel like she was on the outside looking in when she was around both Haley and Peyton. Haley had become such an important part of her life.

"Are you sure?"

"I am. It would be nice to catch up."

"All right. I will. Thank you, Peyton."

* * *

><p>The next day, Brooke apprehensively knocked on Peyton's door. She hadn't been to this house in so long, but she was comforted to find that it looked much the same. Brooke could feel the nerves in her stomach as she could hear Peyton's approaching footsteps.<p>

"Come on in," Peyton beckoned her after opening the door. She stepped aside so that Brooke could enter. A warm smile was on her face. Peyton led her into the living room. Brooke could see that Peyton had a pot of coffee and some cups on the table in front of the sofa. She sat and poured Brooke a cup.

"Haley should be here soon," Peyton said.

Brooke nodded. "She sometimes sticks around to help Karen with the initial breakfast rush."

"Haley always does help."

"She does," Brooke agreed, sitting down. Her posture was stiff and a little uncomfortable.

"Relax, Brooke. I don't bite."

"I'm not so sure about that," Brooke mumbled.

"Brooke, life is too short for grudges. I know you're sorry. From what I can tell, you've done a lot of growing up these past two years and I'm grateful for how you've been there for Karen, Lily, and Haley. I'm not angry. Everything worked out for the best and I really am happy."

"I'm glad to hear it," Brooke said. "I am so sorry for what happened. I am glad, though, that you've found Lucas. You look happy."

"I really am. I didn't expect this when I went to Durham with him, but he makes me so happy."

"And you and Nathan?"

"We really are friends now. He's incredibly quiet and almost brooding. That used to be Lucas's thing. Losing his mother and finding her the way he did, it really had an effect on him."

"Where is he?"

"Oh, I put him to work out back. He'll be out there for a while," Peyton explained. "So, what's going on between he and Haley? I'm not imagining things, am I?"

"I don't think you are." Brooke had missed getting the chance to talk with Peyton. If she was being honest, they were gossiping. Brooke would be careful, though, since they were discussing Haley. She considered Haley to be a sister. "I don't know. He seems to get something out of her that I've never seen before."

"What do you mean?"

Instinctively, Brooke looked toward the door. She then scooted a little closer to Peyton. "Well, the morning after she talked to him about his telling Lucas about her working at Dan's, she was a little worked up about him. She seemed bothered by the fact that he was rude and she was worried that she had been rude to him. It was odd, Peyton. She seemed so preoccupied with him.

"Then, during the week, I would ask her if there was any change in him. One morning, a couple of days ago, I asked and she set a rag down she was wiping a table with. She put her hands on her hips, muttered something under her breath, and then began wiping off a table that she'd already cleaned."

"That's interesting. The night he found out that she worked there he seemed so upset about it. He doesn't want her near there and Dan." Peyton spoke carefully, not wanting to reveal to Brooke more than she should. She was enjoying talking with her old friend, though.

"But how does he even know her?"

"Apparently, the night that he found Deb and Keith, Haley was at Lucas and Karen's house. When Lucas went to get the doctor, Haley comforted him. At least, that's what Lucas told me. Then, during the time that we were in Durham, Nathan would try to casually ask how Haley was doing. I think he tried to brush it off as if he was just being polite. It always seemed like more than that.

"When Lydia died, he seemed confused and a little annoyed that Lucas didn't come back to Tree Hill at least for the funeral. He seemed even more upset about it after Jimmy died and Lucas didn't come home."

"Haley understood about that."

"Oh, I know. Haley would never hold anything against Lucas, or anyone else for that matter. I think part of him felt guilty that Lucas was in Durham helping Nathan deal with his mother's death. I think he felt like he was taking something away from Haley. Either way, it bothered him. He seemed genuinely unhappy with Lucas about that. He also seemed to feel a great deal of sympathy when her parents died.

"Actually, it was just about the most emotion we ever saw out of him during that time. Like I said, he's quiet now. He's very closed off. He's like a brick wall."

"But he seems to like Haley," Brooke was now thinking aloud.

"What are you thinking, Brooke? I can see the wheels turning in your head."

"I'm thinking about the fact that Haley James hasn't done a damn thing for herself in over two years. She's been completely selfless and she's worked so hard. I think it's about time that she did something for herself and that someone other than her friends take an interest in her and let her know how special she is.

"I see the way the men at the club look at her and I hear what they say about her. That isn't what I'm talking about. The thing is, Haley doesn't realize just how wonderful and beautiful she is. I want her to have someone who can remind her of that and really make her feel it. Someone who can bring the light back to her eyes. She deserves that."

"That's pretty selfless of you."

"I learned it from Haley. It's all been very hard on her, Peyton. She'd never admit it, but it has."

"I can only imagine. I know how close she was to Jimmy and Lydia. They were wonderful."

Brooke nodded her head in agreement. "I wish I'd gotten to know them better. I only knew them a short time before Lydia passed." Brooke took a sip of her coffee. "So, are we thinking that Nathan is the one to do this for Haley?"

"I don't know, Brooke. Nathan, I don't know if he's ready for that."

"Well, he definitely gets a rise out of Haley. He definitely feels something for her. With the way he looks at her while she sings, there's no way that he doesn't. Maybe she's the one to bring down that wall."

"Brooke, whatever may possibly happen between them, it's going to have to be slow. They're both a little damaged, I think. Even if they don't want to admit it."

"Especially Haley. She'd never let on that she's hurting."

Their conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door. Peyton quickly got up to answer it and brought Haley into the living room.

"Sorry that I'm late," she said, taking a seat in the armchair.

"Oh, it's no trouble. It gave Brooke and me some time to catch up."

Haley smiled. "I'm glad." Haley knew that Brooke deeply regretted how her friendship with Peyton had ended two years earlier.

"You know, Haley, now that you're here, I think we should talk about Brooke and Julian," Peyton grinned.

Haley smiled and let out a small laugh. "I think you may be right, Peyton."

"There is no Brooke and Julian."

"There could be," Peyton said.

"He'd like there to be," Haley added. "And, he's coming to dinner tonight."

"You invited him," Brooke pointed out.

"He was looking at you when he accepted," Peyton countered.

"He told you that you were beautiful."

"The dress-," Brooke started to say.

"He said it wasn't the dress," Haley reminded her. "And it wasn't. You're beautiful and you deserve something nice, Brooke. Julian is a nice man who likes you. You like him, too."

"He seems far too nice to be working at a place like Dan's," Peyton said. Peyton had spoken to Julian a bit during her evening at Dan's. As Haley performed, Julian often would come by to talk with Brooke and Peyton. Peyton liked him.

"Well, he's just doing what many of us are doing working at Dan's. We all need to work," Haley couldn't help that her tone was slightly defensive.

Peyton looked sympathetically at her friend. "Haley, I didn't take the news of you working at Dan's like Lucas did. I understand that you have to do what you have to do. I'm not judging."

"Sorry. I didn't mean to bite your head off."

"You didn't. Besides, I think if Lucas saw just how talented you are, he maybe might come around."

Haley gave Peyton a pointed look. "He would have to set foot in Dan's in order for that to happen. We both know that isn't going to happen. Even if it did, he still wouldn't want me working there."

"Peyton, I got that shed cleaned out. I tried fixing that shelf, but I need to pick up some nails for it. I can do it during the week." Nathan came from the back of the house. He was wiping his hands on his trousers. He was wearing a tank top undershirt, his suspenders were off of his shoulders and were hanging down his sides. He was covered in a light sheen of sweat and he had some dirt on his face and on his bare arms. He looked up, not realizing that there were people in the house. His eyes locked with Haley's and he couldn't look away.

Haley felt her throat go try and her stomach felt like it had a swarm of butterflies fluttering in it. She took a moment to look at his appearance before her eyes found his. There was something different in how he was looking at her now. It wasn't like when they were at work and his eyes seemed cold. She couldn't quite describe the look in his eyes now, but she knew she preferred it.

Unbeknownst to Nathan or Haley, Brooke and Peyton were watching them. They both almost felt like they were intruding on some private moment.

"Good morning," Haley finally said to him, her eyes staying locked on his.

"Hello," Nathan replied. It was the nicest thing that Nathan had said to her since he came back from Durham a week earlier. Nathan looked away from her, coming to his senses. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize that there were people here. I'm sorry," he repeated. "I'm going to get cleaned up," he said in a near whisper. He looked at Haley once again before retreating up the stairs.

"Nathan, wait," Peyton called, getting an idea. "Dinner tonight at Karen's, you should come with us."

"I, uh, I don't think so. I don't think that's such a good idea." Before his sister-in-law could protest, Nathan went upstairs, wanting to get away from what was downstairs in the living room. He couldn't understand what Haley James was doing to him.

All she was doing was sitting in the living room. She was in a nice, blue dress, her hair was down and simple. She wasn't as made up as she was each night at the club. Even at the club, she wasn't as made up as she could have been. Nathan would have expected a woman working in a nightclub like that to be wearing more makeup and to be trying harder to appeal to the male clientele. Haley didn't. He thought she was beautiful. That didn't compare to how she was now, just sitting with her friends and talking. Nathan didn't want to go to dinner. He needed time to himself to collect his thoughts and to try to figure out what was going on with him. He needed to figure out a way to stay away from Haley James. It just wasn't safe for her to be around him.

"You know, you would never know that he isn't playing baseball anymore," Brooke said. "Did you get a look at him?"

Peyton laughed. She and Brooke both noticed that Haley hadn't said anything and that she was still looking toward the spot where Nathan had stood.

"Lucas thinks that if we leave him alone, he'll come around and come to dinner. He thinks he just needs time. I think that, sometimes, a little push might go a long way."

"You might be right," Brooke agreed. "What do you think, Haley?"

"What?" Haley finally looked back to her two friends. She hadn't realized that the conversation had resumed. She looked back at the stairs, then to her friends. "I'm sorry, I must have spaced out. What was that?"

"Peyton was just saying that she felt that Nathan could use a little shove to break out of his shell. Lucas thinks he just needs time."

"Oh," Haley cleared her throat. "Well, I mean, I don't know. I suppose that maybe a shove would help him. Sometimes, though, time is really important. He's been through a lot and you don't want to push him into something he isn't ready for. That could do more damage. I don't know. I don't really know Nathan." Haley knew how true that was. She really didn't know Nathan. She couldn't explain it, but she wanted to know Nathan. She also couldn't explain how happy she felt just by his greeting to her just moments earlier. It was small, but it gave her some hope.

* * *

><p>Later that day, Haley made her way through the cemetery. She carried a small bouquet of flowers in her right hand as she walked across the grass. She looked at some of the headstones she passed by. She saw mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, and even some children.<p>

Her mother and father's grave was in an open space near the back of the cemetery. It was simple. It had the name James carved on it with Jimmy and Lydia's names beneath that. Also included were their years of birth and the years that they died. Haley sighed as she reached it. It was still so difficult.

She knelt at the grave, setting the flowers down.

"I miss you both," she said. She knew that they weren't really there, underneath the ground. She still felt better knowing that she could visit them somewhere and still talk to them.

"Lucas came home. He's different. It all just feels so different. Life is different since you both… you know."

She ran a hand through her hair.

"I know I told you that I'm singing at Dan's. Lucas hates it. He was so angry and he looked so hurt. Nathan seems unhappy too. That I really don't understand. He doesn't even know me. I don't even know him.

"I remember what you said to me, mom. You said that maybe if Nathan and Lucas got to know each other that they might get along. They do now. It's so nice to see. I haven't really seen them together to know, but they are actually brothers now.

"You also told me not to get so angry with Nathan when he was mean to Lucas. You told me not to let him get under my skin. I just don't understand him, mom. I have no one I feel like I can talk to about this. I have Karen and Brooke, but it isn't the same as having you. I just don't understand why he's so rude to me and I can't figure out why it bothers me so much. I guess I just need my mother. I think I always will in some way."

Haley turned and walked through the grass. As she was making her way toward the exit of the cemetery she heard footsteps nearby. She looked up and saw Nathan. Unlike when she'd seen him earlier in the day, he now had a proper shirt on and his suspenders were over his shoulders. His hat was on his head and it was tilted low, almost covering his eyes. He looked at the ground as he walked and kept his hands in his pockets. Remembering what happened earlier, Haley decided to take a chance. He had been friendly earlier. She stopped and waited until he was closer.

"Hello," she said, repeating the one word he said to her earlier. Not wanting to take any more chances with him, she smiled and then left, leaving him watching her. She hoped that this would be a step in the right direction. If they were working together, then maybe they could at least be friendly with each other.

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> So, a lot of Brooke and Peyton in this chapter, but it's for a reason. I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you for reviewing! I promise, some one on one Naley interaction is coming.

One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.


	9. Do You Think I Look Sad?

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Notes:** Well, this is very, very heavy on the Naley. So, please enjoy it. I really hope you like it. Thanks for reading!

* * *

><p>Several weeks after Haley had first spoken to Nathan at the cemetery things had not changed much between them. They still saw each other at the cemetery on Sundays and he still did not join them for Sunday dinner. At the club he still didn't speak to her.<p>

Brooke and Peyton both asked her about him. Brooke was especially curious about Nathan. Haley still couldn't help how worked up she got over the fact that he ignored her. She remembered her mother's words from years earlier. She had come home one day from school and was venting about something Nathan had done to Lucas – she couldn't even remember what it was now – and her mother had patiently listened. Lydia then suggested that perhaps Nathan had a reason for acting like this that went beyond hatred. Lydia had suggested that perhaps if Haley and Lucas got to know Nathan that they may know what exactly was the reason for his behavior.

Haley knew that Lucas had done just that. She would like the same opportunity, but it simply wasn't presenting itself. She tried to be friendly with him, but he was unresponsive to her attempts. She could see, though, that his demeanor at the club was different than his demeanor at the cemetery. At the cemetery, when they would see each other, his eyes did not hold the aloofness that they did when they worked together. Still, despite seeing Nathan seven days a week, she still had no idea who he was.

It was really beginning to bother her that she let him bother her so much. It was what she was thinking about as she walked home one night from the club. She liked walking home now that it was warmer. The air felt nice and freeing, especially after being in the club all night. The club smelled of alcohol, aftershave, and cigarettes. The fresh air was nice after that.

For the past few weeks, she had felt that someone was following her as she walked home. The first night it happened, she had looked back and was sure that she had seen someone, but they were gone. She'd looked back again, but didn't see anyone. Still, she had a feeling. She had that feeling again tonight and it was stronger than ever.

Even though she was enjoying her walk, she quickened her pace. She saw the café ahead of her and nearly jogged across the street as she approached it. She went into the café, locking the door behind her and went upstairs to her apartment. She went to her window and looked down. She was sure she saw the person this time. She decided to walk away from the window and a few seconds later, she returned to it. She watched the person walk away. She immediately could tell who it was. The newsboy style hat was an indication. If that wasn't, his limp surely gave him away.

Haley felt her anger rise. He refused to speak so much as a word to her and now he was following her? He'd been following her for nearly a month. What was he doing following her home every night?

Haley tossed and turned that night. She kept thinking about him. She was already thinking about him on her walk home. Now, knowing that he was following her, she was thinking about him even more. She couldn't help the image that would occasionally pop into her head. It was Nathan, of course, her thoughts were beginning to be consumed by him. However, she saw him as she had seen him weeks before at Peyton's. He was dirty and covered in sweat and wasn't properly dressed. She hated admitting that she found him incredibly attractive. She wasn't going to get a good night of sleep that night.

* * *

><p>The next night, they were working on closing the club. Unexpectedly, Dan was still in his office while his employees cleaned up for the night. Haley and Chris were at the piano working on songs for the next night. She had already changed out of her gown and into her regular dress. They were in the middle of working on an arrangement for a Cole Porter song while Nathan, Julian, and some of the other staff were flipping chairs over on tables. Closing was nearly done for the night.<p>

"We're just about done," Julian announced.

Haley went to her dressing room to gather her things and was walking out the door when Dan came out from his office.

"Aren't you people done yet?" Dan's temper could easily be felt. He was angry at something.

Nathan was just putting the last chair up, ignoring his father. It was one of the things he tried to do most when working at the club. He watched as Dan came in and out, trying to find anything that he and Lucas could use. He tried to find anything out of the ordinary. Nathan guessed that Dan's bad mood might be considered out of the ordinary and he wondered what had caused it.

Nathan was walking back to the bar when Dan's voice stopped him. It was loud, booming, "Stop limping and walk like a damn normal person, you no good-,"

"Stop!"

Everyone turned to where the voice had come from and were more than surprised to see the source.

"Stop yelling at him," Haley said, walking toward Dan, her handbag and gown under her arm. "Yell at him if he drops a glass or if he insults a customer, but don't yell at him for something that he can't help."

Haley was now standing directly in front of Dan. She suddenly realized what she had done. She had not only yelled at her boss, but she had yelled at Dan Scott. She had seen him fire employees for much less than what she had just done. She swallowed the breath she hadn't realized she was holding, but she stood her ground.

If Dan fired her, then so be it. No one seemed happy about her working there to begin with and she wouldn't stand for him picking on someone for something they couldn't help. She couldn't believe it when she heard him yelling at his own son. Haley had observed that Nathan was ashamed of the fact that he now limped. He tried to conceal it, but he wasn't successful. He didn't need his own father yelling at him for it. Now that she was thinking about it, he didn't need her coming to his defense, probably. She had a feeling that this little outburst was going to make Nathan like her less than he already did.

"Just lock up and get out of here. You all have to be here again at the same time tomorrow," Dan said. He didn't give them a second thought as he left the club.

Once Dan was gone, the rest of the club's employees turned to where Haley still stood.

"You just became my hero," Julian enthused. The rest of the reactions were quite similar. All except for one. Nathan stood silently by the door. His hat was now on his head and he was staring down at the ground. Haley looked at him solemnly as they all walked out the door, locking it behind them.

On her walk home, Haley felt guilty. She didn't regret standing up to Dan, but she didn't want to hurt Nathan. As much as he infuriated her by ignoring her, she didn't want to hurt him. He'd been hurt enough in the past two years. She had seen him trying to hide his limp and though Dan was the one who initially made it the center of attention, Haley felt like she had made the problem worse.

About a mile into her walk home, her spirits were brightened a bit because she could tell that he was following her again. She was sure it had been him all those nights in the past few weeks. She could sense it now, too.

Unlike the previous nights when she walked home, this time Dr. Durham was sitting on his front porch. He was never out there when she passed his house. Haley stopped and smiled at him.

"Evening, doctor. How are you?"

"I'm doing well, Haley James. What about you?"

"Oh, I'm fine. What are you doing out here this late?"

"I was seeing to Mr. Crowder."

"How is he?"

"He's much better. You comin' home from work?"

"Yes, sir."

"How's that going?"

"It's fine."

"Fine, huh? Good to know things are fine."

Haley nodded and looked off in the distance.

"Say, Haley, do you know you have a shadow? They usually don't come out unless the sun us out."

Haley chuckled a little. So, the doctor had seen Nathan.

"Yes, I know. That shadow is there every night."

"Son, come out from behind that tree. You look like a creeper back there," the doctor ordered.

Haley watched as Nathan slowly came out from behind the tree. As usual, his hands were in his pockets and he was looking downward. He took a few steps forward, his feet dragging on the grass. His head lifted a bit, but he tried keeping his eyes on his own feet.

"Nathan Scott. It's good to see you, boy." The doctor leaned forward, still sitting in the chair on his porch. When Nathan didn't say anything, Dr. Durham looked him up and down. "I'm sorry to hear about your knee. You were a great player."

Haley noticed that Nathan's posture stiffened at the mention of his injury. After Dan's earlier comments and now the doctor bringing up the injury so easily, Haley really felt for Nathan. Without thinking, she walked a little closer to him. She wasn't even aware of doing it.

Dr. Durham had noticed what Haley did and looked at the two young people in front of him. "You two come have a seat with me. Come on, now." Haley took a seat on the top step of the porch, smoothing out the skirt of her dress. Reluctantly, Nathan sat two steps beneath her. He stared at the wooden step.

"You know, my son played ball," the doctor told them.

Nathan finally looked up at the older man. "I didn't know you had a son, Whitey. I mean Dr. Durham. I'm sorry," he mumbled. Calling the old man 'Whitey' was something that he had learned from his father. He was now realizing that it was disrespectful rather than a term of endearment.

"You go ahead and call me Whitey if you like. You're the only one in your family to ever apologize for it. That's progress.

"I did have a son. Steven. He played with your father, actually."

"What happened to him, doctor?" Haley also wasn't aware that the doctor had a son. She had known his wife. Camilla Durham had passed away when Haley was eight years-old, but Haley had remembered her being a very nice woman.

"He played third base and was darn good at it. I get the feeling that you don't like your daddy very much, so I'm going to be completely honest. Danny didn't like my boy. He and a few of the other boys from the team used to gang up on Steve."

"What did they do?" Nathan had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He knew what his father was capable of. His fists clenched in his lap and his hands began shaking a little.

Haley noticed Nathan's hands shaking and could tell that he was agitated. She wondered if she should reach out to him, but she didn't.

"Whatever it is that happened, and we could never prove that your father was involved, Steven's hand was ruined. The bones in it were shattered. Steven, well, he didn't take it well. He let his injury and the fact that he couldn't play anymore rule his life. It ended it."

"I'm so sorry, Dr. Durham," Haley felt so bad for the man.

Nathan was reminded of his own injury. He was reminded of how he had acted just after it happened. He could have easily been Steven Durham. He could very easily not be sitting here right now. Unlike Steven Durham, he had a mission. He was going to make his father pay. Nathan just didn't know what he was going to do after that. Realizing that losing the game had killed Steven Durham, Nathan began to worry if that could happen to him.

"I'm sure my dad did it," Nathan muttered.

"Do me a favor, Nathan. Steven lost baseball and it killed him. Your father couldn't play anymore and he got even worse than he was before. Don't let that happen to you. There's more to life out there then baseball. There are people in the world who love you and don't want to see you go down that path. Don't do it."

Nathan was worried. He didn't want to be Dan and now, hearing the doctor's story, he didn't want to be Steven either.

"You don't have to say anything," the doctor told him. "Just try, son. Try to find something that makes you happy."

"He'll find it," Haley said. She didn't know where it came from, but she felt it. She didn't want him to lose even more. She looked at him and she felt that he really had lost a lot in the past two years. She had watched him play baseball when they were in high school. As much as she didn't like him then, she could clearly see how much he loved the game. He lit up when he played the game. She knew that she wanted him to find something that made him happy. She would hate to see him end up like Dan or Steven.

The doctor looked again at the two of them. Haley was looking at Nathan with sympathy. Nathan was now looking up a little more instead of keeping his eyes trained on the ground. "Well, it's getting late. I'm headed to bed. Nathan, be a gentleman and walk this young lady home." Without waiting for the two to reply, Dr. Durham got up from his chair and walked inside his house.

She knew he had been following her, so she knew that he would probably do it again. Still, she told him, "You don't have to walk me home."

He looked at her. For the first time since he'd been called from out behind the tree, he looked at her. He was beginning to realize just how much he wanted to be around her. He wanted to keep her safe. "It's fine."

She nodded and began walking, knowing that she wasn't going to get anymore out of him.

They walked together in silence, but what Nathan found strange was that it wasn't awkward. His hands, no longer clenched and shaking, were back in his pockets. Every few feet, he would take a quick look at her.

Haley found that she liked this more than him following her. While he was following her, she had felt safe. She thought that was ironic, since most people who had someone following them would probably feel threatened. At the very least, they would feel uncomfortable. Walking with him was much nicer, even though they weren't talking.

She felt that if they were walking together, if he was willing to walk her home rather than following her home then maybe he wasn't upset about what happened earlier. She found herself feeling slightly disappointed when they reached the door of the café. She bit her lip, looking at him. She decided to take a chance.

"Thank you for walking me home, Nathan. Tomorrow night, instead of following me home, you can walk me home if you'd like. We don't have to talk. I'll see you tomorrow, Nathan. Sleep well." She smiled and opened the door, walking in and leaving him on the sidewalk in front of the café.

Nathan watched her through the glass doors. The lights in the café were out, but he could see her form moving around. He continued watching until she disappeared upstairs, then walked across the street. He watched again until he saw her safely upstairs in her room before he went home.

* * *

><p>Haley held onto Lily's hand as the girl skipped along the sidewalk. It was a game the girl played in which she tried to avoid stepping on any of the cracks in the ground. Haley was patient as they walked. She loved time with Lily. For Lily, everything was simple and hopeful.<p>

Lily stopped skipping when she saw a shadow in front of her. She stopped to look up and see who was there. She didn't recognize him and she looked to Haley.

"Nathan. Hello," she smiled at him, hoping that they had made some progress last night.

Nathan saw Lily looking a little nervous and he tried to smile at the young girl. He noticed her cling to Haley.

"Good morning," Nathan softly said.

"We were just taking Lily to her friend Sally's for the day. Lily, this is Nathan," Haley knew that the two hadn't met yet. "He's your cousin and he's Lucas's brother."

Lily tugged on Haley's arm, clearly shy around this new person. Haley knelt in front of Lily, who whispered something in her ear. Haley smiled and whispered something back in Lily's ear. As Nathan was planning on bidding them goodbye and going on his way, Lily did something completely unexpected. She went to Nathan and tugged on his arm. Not knowing what else to do, Nathan knelt as he'd seen Haley do. It was then that Lily leaned in and wrapped her small arms around Nathan's neck. Before Nathan could react, Lily stepped away and went back to Haley.

"We have to be going. I'll see you this evening, Nathan." Haley nodded before taking Lily's hand and leaving Nathan on the sidewalk, unsure of what had just happened.

* * *

><p>Nathan sighed as he poured another drink. Haley was on her fourth song of the night and once again, he found himself looking at her as often as he could. Earlier, he had seen her outside of the club. It kept happening. Even if it was only from afar, like what sometimes happened at the cemetery, he would see her. He was realizing that it was impossible to avoid her. He was even more sure of it after what happened the night before with Whitey. Nathan had noticed the old man looking at him and Haley like he knew something. Nathan wasn't sure what to make of that look.<p>

Nathan was even more surprised to find that walking Haley home instead of following her had been nice. He liked her company. That wasn't a surprise. He knew if he let himself that he would really enjoy being around Haley. What surprised Nathan was that he wasn't tense around her. He'd worked so much at staying away from her that he would have thought that he wouldn't have been able to relax around her. Instead, he felt at ease. He felt comfortable and he felt safe. It was ridiculous, feeling safe because of a petite woman who was nearly a foot shorter than he.

"Well, well, so this is what's happened to the great Nathan Scott."

Nathan had his back to the bar as he replaced some of the glasses that had been used. He stiffened. He knew that voice. He turned around and stood with his back straight.

"What can I get for you, Damien?"

"Beer." Damien looked Nathan up and down and smirked. "I thought you were supposed to be some great ball player. Now what? You're a bartender?"

"Things change," Nathan said, setting Damien's beer on the bar. "I'll start a tab for you."

"Hey, Nate, is that that Haley girl up there? I remember her from school. Boy, I'll tell you, she was a piece then and she's a piece now. And she's working in a place like this? She might just be easier than I thought."

Nathan's blood began to boil as Damien continued speaking. He tried to keep his hands from shaking and tried to keep his temper under control.

"She's certainly filled out. I'd love to see what she looks like out of that dress, if you know what I mean." Damien winked at Nathan then resumed watching Haley on stage. Nathan was grateful that his former friend stopped talking. Right now, Nathan was having a hard time remembering why he was ever friends with Damien. Nathan hated, with everything in him, hearing Damien talk about Haley like that.

As Nathan worked, Damien would try to speak to him. Nathan would nod or he would give brief responses, but he really didn't want to talk to Damien. He wanted to get as far away from Damien as possible, but right now that just wasn't possible.

Nathan got even more tense when Haley took her break and began walking through the club. He knew that meant she would be coming by the bar. He would hand her her cider – he had taken over the task of doing that from Julian – and she would be faced with Damien. Nathan tried to prepare himself and keep himself calm. He looked at Cooper, who was at the end of the bar laughing with someone else.

"Nathan Scott. You haven't been by the house to see me yet." Nathan cringed. For a different reason than Damien gave him, he had to control his temper. The new Mrs. Scott – Rachel – was standing in front of him. Her gown was so low cut that she was practically spilling out of it. "Don't you want to get to know your new brother?"

"I've been busy," he said, doing little to hide his anger. This woman was living in his mother's house with Dan and their child and they were acting like nothing was wrong with that.

"You know, I always thought you were cute back in school. You would never give me the time of day. I suppose I just wasn't charming enough. I take it my husband is in his office?"

Nathan didn't answer and let her find out on her own. He was seething now. First Damien spoke about Haley in such a crude, disrespectful way and now he had to deal with Rachel. He couldn't wait for this night to be over. He reached for a glass and poured the cider into it when he saw Haley approaching. Before he could hand it to her, though, Damien realized she was there.

"Haley James," he drawled.

Nathan noticed that Haley seemed to recoil when she saw Damien. He knew she was smart. He'd always known that about her. As soon as he saw her reaction, he saw her try to hide it. She did a better job of it than he did.

"Damien West. How have you been?"

"Oh, I've been good, Haley. I've been good." Damien was leering. He was looking her up and down. "As for you, the world has been very, very good to you, Miss James." Damien licked his lips and took another drink from his beer.

Nathan watched the exchange happening between the two of them. He could clearly see that Haley was uncomfortable. He didn't realize that Cooper and Julian were also watching, ready to act in case Damien got out of line.

"Haley, what time do you finish here? What do you say to maybe spending the rest of the night with me?"

Haley's eyes got bigger, but she tried to control her expression. "I don't think so, Damien. Thank you for the offer."

"Oh, come on. I'll show you a great time. I promise it'll be like nothing you've ever done before. Or maybe something you have," he smirked. "No, this would definitely be something new." He reached for her, the palm of his hand landing on her backside.

Haley quickly jerked away and covered herself with her arms. Before she could say anything, though, Damien was grabbed by the neck and she heard his head slam into the bar with a loud thud. The thud was so loud that the music stopped playing and everyone in the club turned their heads toward the commotion.

"The lady said no. Listen to her, West," Nathan seethed, his face inches from where he held Damien's against the cool surface of the bar. His grip on Damien's neck was tight, causing Damien to cough. "Are we clear?" Damien didn't answer and Nathan tightened his hold. "Do you understand?"

Damien was about to open his mouth to respond when a voice interrupted them.

"Nathan, take your hands off of that customer," Dan ordered. "What's going on?"

Reluctantly, Nathan let go of Damien. Damien stood, but kept one hand on the bar for balance. He loosened the tie around his neck.

"What happened?" Dan inched closer to the bar.

Nathan and Haley kept each other's gaze, neither daring to speak. Her lips were slightly parted, but he could swear he saw gratitude in her expression.

"He grabbed her," Julian explained. "He grabbed Haley and Nathan pulled him off."

"Mr. West, we have a strict policy in this establishment that the customers are to enjoy the entertainment but from afar. I suggest you leave for the night and if I have to tell you one more time, you will not be welcome here. Are we clear?"

"Crystal," Damien replied, his voice hoarse. "You always did come to her defense, Nathan. Things haven't changed."

Neither Nathan nor Haley looked at Damien again as he left. They kept looking at each other as Dan addressed the customers.

"Everyone, please continue to enjoy your evening. Miss Haley James will be back on stage after a much deserved break." Dan left them to return to the office, leaving his wife staring at Nathan and Haley. Rachel seemed unaware of the blue-eyed man who was watching her from across the room.

As the customers returned to their evening as though nothing happened, Haley went closer to the bar. She had backed away when she felt Damien's hands on her. She set her hand on the bar. She set it on the same spot where Nathan had held Damien's head. Her hand was inches from where Nathan's was.

"Thank you, Nathan."

He could see her gratitude in her eyes and he couldn't bring himself to look away. He also couldn't bring himself to respond the way he would have ordinarily. "You're welcome, Haley. I'll get your drink." Not remembering that he had already poured her one, he poured another and handed it to her.

"I'll see you later tonight, Nathan," Haley said, her voice was very quiet, trying not to be noticed by the others around them in the crowded club.

They were both relieved when the rest of the evening carried on without incidence. Dan and Rachel had left hours earlier and now Julian, Haley, and Nathan were the only ones left. They stood outside the club by the door while Julian locked it up behind him.

Unbeknownst to Nathan and Haley, Julian heard Haley tell Nathan that she would see him later that night. Julian wasn't one to pry and he wasn't one to gossip. He knew Haley and he trusted her, so he bid the two a goodnight and went on his way.

They didn't say anything as they walked toward the café. Haley held her hands clasped behind her back and Nathan kept his in his pockets. They'd walked two blocks and Haley was thinking about how ridiculous this was. She didn't want to push Nathan, but they had been working together for weeks. She wanted to get him to start talking. For reasons she couldn't explain, she felt like she needed to get him talking.

"Thank you again, Nathan. What Damien did back there… I know he's a friend of yours."

"He's not. I'm sorry." He kept his voice low. It was almost as if he was afraid of speaking at a normal volume.

"Why are you apologizing?"

Nathan knew he was going to have to have some sort of conversation with her. Now that he was walking her home, she wasn't going to let him do so silently. Being honest with himself, he knew that he didn't really want to stay silent. He wanted to talk to her and know her and that was getting harder and harder to fight.

"For what he did to you. I'm sorry that it happened."

"Nathan, you don't have to apologize for that. You didn't do anything wrong. You helped me." They took a few more steps and Haley felt better knowing he had willingly spoken to her and wasn't trying to shut her out. "I didn't realize that you two weren't friends anymore."

Nathan shrugged. This was okay. They weren't talking about anything serious. It was casual. "Well, we haven't spoken since right before school ended."

"I'm sorry. It's hard losing friends."

"I don't think I really lost anything. He's not exactly the nicest guy. I mean, I'm not either. But I don't feel like I lost anything."

"Why would you say that?"

"What?"

"That you aren't nice? Don't say that. You're nice, Nathan. You're being nice to me. You're nice to Lucas. Lucas believes in you. Peyton thinks you're nice. If I can be frank, if anyone would have reason to doubt you, I think it would be Peyton."

"I wasn't nice to her."

"No, you weren't. People change, though. Don't say that you're not a nice person, Nathan."

"You don't know me." His tone wasn't harsh. He was just being honest.

Not for lack of trying, Haley thought. "No, but I think I'm a decent judge of character. Your brother and Peyton gave you a second shot. Why shouldn't I?"

"I've been rude to you. Since we came back to Tree Hill."

"So, you noticed," she tried to joke. "I don't know why you were. You don't have to tell me. You've been through a lot and I understand that. Besides, people who aren't nice don't walk girls home every night. Well, follow is more accurate," she smiled.

"I didn't realize you knew that it was me," he was almost ashamed of it.

"Why did you do it?"

"I just… it's late and it's dark. I didn't think you should be walking home alone. What if something happened? I know Lucas wouldn't like it."

"Lucas doesn't like a lot of things," she said, almost bitterly. "I walked home for months all by myself. I'm a big girl who can take care of herself."

"I'm sure you're very capable. I didn't mean anything by it."

"It's fine, Nathan. And thank you for following me home." Again, they were silent for a bit. "I knew it was you when I saw you from my window one night. You were walking in the other direction. I could tell it was you."

Nathan felt a little uncomfortable. Obviously, the reason she could tell that it was him was because of his limp. He didn't say anything else and soon they were getting closer to the café.

"Can I… Can I ask you something?" Nathan looked at her as they kept walking.

"Of course."

"What did Lily say to you today? Before she hugged me," he clarified. He'd been thinking about it off and on throughout the day. It was strange. No one had just hugged him out of the blue before and certainly not a small child.

"Oh. Well, she said that she thought you looked sad. She's amazingly perceptive."

Nathan took a chance. "Do you think I look sad?"

"I think that you've been through a lot," Haley chose her words carefully. "I think that when someone goes through so much that they have every right to look sad on occasion."

"You don't look sad." He was, in a way, acknowledging everything she had been through.

"Don't I?"

"Not that I've noticed."

"We all have days when we're sad, Nathan." Haley could see the café coming into view and she knew their time together would be coming to an end. There were days when she was sad. Those days, she felt like the weight of everything would come crashing down on her. She wondered if that was how Nathan felt on the days when he was sad.

"Can I ask you something?" Haley didn't wait for him to say yes. "Damien said that you always came to my defense. What did he mean?"

Nathan felt a wall go back up. Without him really noticing, Haley was doing a good job of slowly chipping away at those walls. He wished Damien hadn't said that. He was trying to figure out what to say to her. He didn't want to explain himself.

"It's okay, Nathan. You don't have to answer that."

He believed her. She really wasn't going to ask him for information that he didn't want to give. He liked spending time with her. During their walk home, he felt better then he'd felt in a long time. She was just as calming and comforting as he remembered.

She was also beautiful. She was easily the most beautiful person he had ever seen. Those big brown eyes were so caring and he was sure he'd never thought brown was beautiful until he saw her eyes and her hair. He liked walking her home instead of following her home, but he realized that he still had to be careful around her.

They reached her door, just as they had the night before. "Thank you again, Nathan. For walking me home and for helping with Damien. I'll see you tomorrow night."

"You're welcome, Haley. I'll see you tomorrow." Nathan didn't smile often. He couldn't recall the last time he smiled with genuine happiness. He smiled at Haley, though. He smiled as he watched her walk inside the café. When he crossed the street, he turned to look at her window. When she was upstairs, she waved at him from that window. Again, Nathan smiled.

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> Thank you for reading and for reviewing! I love reading your reviews. We writers feed on those. I'm going to try to start writing a little quicker. I'd like to really get moving with this story. Also, I had an idea for another one that I'm excited about, but I don't like writing two stories at once. It never works well for me. Anyway, thanks again!


	10. He Felt a Lightness

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Note:** Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter! I'm glad you all love the Nathan and Haley interaction! Hope you enjoy this. It's pretty heavy on Nathan.

* * *

><p>"Mouth McFadden. What brings you around here?" Lucas was at work at the station and he found Mouth sitting on a bench near the desk near the front door. He had out a small pad of paper and was taking notes, writing quickly as if he didn't want to forget anything.<p>

"Workin', Luke. Or, should I say, Deputy Scott."

"It's still me, Mouth. Same Lucas you've always known. I've been reading your stuff. It's good to see you working." Mouth had spent time working with Jimmy James, but his real dream had always been to be a reporter. Now, he was finally writing articles for the Tree Hill Gazette. Lucas had seen Mouth a few times since he had been back, but the two hadn't had a chance to really talk and catch up.

"Hey, Lucas, I need to give you a head's up."

"All right, what's going on?"

"Tomorrow's paper, it might have something about your dad."

"Something about Dan?" Lucas got an uneasy feeling in his stomach. He looked down seriously at his friend. "Mouth, do me a favor. If you're writing about Dan, please be careful." Lucas lowered his voice. "He's capable of a lot."

"Believe me, I know."

"No, you don't. Just be careful."

"I'll be careful. This job is my dream, Lucas. I've got to be great at it. I can't be afraid."

"I admire that, Mouth. Just be careful."

"Yeah. I'll see you around?"

"Of course. We'll have you to the house for dinner soon."

"Sounds good. I'll be on my way."

* * *

><p>Nathan could taste the bitter vomit in his mouth as he knocked on the door of the house that used to be his home. Dan had been hounding him for a week now. He had come into work the morning after he first really walked Haley home and talked to her and for once, he didn't actually dread walking into the club. That changed when Dan said that Nathan would have to come by the house soon. Nathan had been trying to avoid it at all costs. He didn't want to ever set foot in that house again. Dan had bothered him every single day since. Finally, a day earlier, Dan had told Nathan that he expected him there the next day for lunch. Nathan had no choice. Due to his plan with Lucas, Nathan had to keep on Dan's good side.<p>

Nathan had a feeling that this was going to be one of the hardest things he would ever have to do. The night before, he had had nightmares about it. He had dreamt about finding his mother and Keith on the floor and seeing their blood. He woke up in a cold sweat. When he tried to go back to sleep, the dreams came again. After waking up three times, Nathan gave up on sleep. He sat up in his small bed and stared at the wall until the sun came up. Before he left, he threw up.

He didn't talk to Lucas or Peyton that day. He didn't tell them where he was going. Lucas would fuss and try to offer advice. Nathan preferred Peyton's approach. She would look at him and worry, but she wouldn't say much. Lucas would pace. Lucas would keep telling him to stay calm and not panic. Lucas would try to formulate a plan and he would tell Nathan to keep an eye on Dan to try to find information about him.

They had been in Tree Hill for a month now and they hadn't found anything. They knew that Dan was up to no good. Whatever he was up to, he was excellent at hiding it. The more time Nathan spent in the club, the more he could feel himself going crazy.

As he realized just how much he liked spending time with Haley, he also realized that she was the one who was keeping him from going crazy while he was at work. He saw more of her than he saw of Dan and he was grateful for it. As always, she was a comfort. He wished that she were here with him now, despite knowing how dangerous it was to be around Dan. Dan didn't seem to have anything against Haley that Nathan had noticed. If he had, Haley surely would have been fired for yelling at him. He couldn't stop Haley from working at the club and Dan usually stayed in his office when he was there. Even though Nathan wanted the comfort Haley offered at this time, he would never dream of bringing her into the lion's den, so to speak.

He did finally knock on the door and he waited uncomfortably for the door to open. Some of the tension left his body when the door opened and he saw who was on the other side of it.

"Mr. Nathan," she enthused. She stepped aside so that he could enter. Once he was in the house she looked to the left and then to the right. When she saw no one, she gave Nathan a quick hug. It was something that she wouldn't have never considered two years earlier.

Ida had always been fond of Nathan and she had missed him. The elder Mr. Scott rarely spoke about his son in the time that Nathan had been in Durham and Ida knew better than to ask questions. Ida and Lucas had been the only ones to really care for Nathan after the death of his mother and she really felt for the young man. She had heard from people in town that he was back, but she had yet to see him for herself.

"Hello, Ida." As it was with everyone when he spoke, Nathan's voice was quiet.

"It's good to see you, Mr. Nathan."

"Ida, you can just call me Nathan now. I don't live here anymore."

"Mr. Nathan," she said, ignoring his request, "your father is not here yet. Mrs. Scott," she paused and saw the look that crossed his face, "well, she's outside waiting. Lunch will be served out there. Do you have a coat I could take?"

It was now June and it was getting warmer. Nathan had put on his nicest trousers and a clean shirt, but he wore neither a tie nor a jacket. It was his own way of rebelling against being forced to be there.

"I'll show you out back," Ida said.

"I know where it is."

Quietly, Ida replied, "She'll want you announced." Nathan noticed a tinge of bitterness in her voice.

Ida cleared her throat as they stepped outside. Rachel Scott was seated in a wicker chair near the swimming pool underneath an umbrella. "Mr. Nathan has arrived, ma'am."

Rachel looked up and offered a dazzling smile. "Thank you, Ida. That will be all."

"Yes, ma'am." Ida shared a look with Nathan before she went back inside the house, leaving him all alone with his step-mother.

"Come, have a seat," Rachel beckoned. She looked so pleased that he was there.

Nathan took a seat across from her, a table separating the two of them. Rachel reached for the pitcher on the table and poured some lemonade into a glass for him.

"I was so surprised when your father said that you would finally be coming to see us. We've been wanting that since you came home."

Nathan didn't say anything to her.

"Well, I'm sure you're wondering just how this marriage happened. Believe me, I was just as surprised as you."

Nathan honestly hadn't wondered how his father and Rachel had met. Any thought he gave to the two of them was restricted to being incredulous at the fact that they were now married and living in the house where Dan had murdered his previous wife. Nathan didn't like Rachel, but he hoped the same thing wouldn't happen to her.

"Well, it wasn't terribly long after you left. I noticed your father and I thought he looked rather lonely. At first, I decided to try to be his friend and maybe cheer him up."

Nathan didn't have to use his imagination to know what Rachel meant when she said she tried to cheer his father up.

"Well, we got along so well, Nathan. He's such a passionate, loving man. We were married and it surprised me, I assure you. When I saw him looking so lonely, I never imagined that I would be his wife. I mean, when we were in school, did you ever imagine that I would someday be the Mayor's wife? That makes me First Lady of Tree Hill!

"Well, after we got married, little Tommy arrived. He's such a beautiful baby, Nathan. And, I must say, I think he takes after his handsome older brother."

Nathan had realized that in the time he had been in the house, he had yet to see any sign of the baby. He wasn't sure he wanted to meet Tommy. He knew that it wasn't right to hold anything against the child. He couldn't help that he'd been born to Dan and Rachel.

Before Rachel could continue gushing about her life as the First Lady of Tree Hill and her life with Dan, the man himself walked out on the patio. Rachel went to him and kissed him on the cheek in greeting before going back to her seat across from Nathan. He remained in his chair, not bothering to stand.

"Don't you own a suit?" Dan was looking at Nathan with annoyance. Nathan's little rebellion had done the trick.

"No," Nathan answered.

"You should get one. Any respectable man owns a suit. Especially one who carries the name of Scott." Dan sat between his wife and his son. Rachel was the only one who looked comfortable. Nathan was tense and Dan looked angry.

"Darling, I was just telling Nathan of how we met and fell in love. It's such a wonderful story, I just knew he would love hearing it. Why, his face just lit up hearing about how happy we are with our little family," Rachel lied.

"Tell me, do you spend much time in the living room?" Nathan tried controlling his temper, but he hated hearing how happy Rachel was. He knew she was either lying about his reaction to the story of she and Dan or she was incredibly stupid. Nathan didn't care to find out which. He just wanted them to know in some way that there was something wrong with this. He couldn't help himself. He knew he should have greater control. He needed to make up for it. He needed to stay close to Dan, just as he and Lucas had planned. "I'm happy to hear you're both happy."

Rachel guided the conversation and did most of the talking as they waited for Ida. She soon carried out plates with prime rib, potatoes, and carrots.

"A little fancy for lunch," Dan remarked.

"It's Mr. Nathan's favorite," Ida explained.

"Well, Nathan, I'm sure you're enjoying your work at the club. It is the place to be in Tree Hill. If anything is going to happen, it happens there. Well, I don't have to tell you that. You were there last night and were right in the middle of all of the excitement."

"You don't attack the customers, Nathan," Dan reprimanded.

Nathan felt himself get angry and the bite of prime rib was almost stuck in his throat. He found it difficult to swallow, but he did it. "She politely declined his offer and he didn't listen."

"The customers do enjoy Miss James."

"I don't know understand why," Rachel scoffed. "Haley has always been plain. There's nothing spectacular about her at all." Rachel kept looking at Nathan. She had a feeling watching him the night before that there was more to his reaction to Damien than just chivalry.

Nathan couldn't wait to get out of there. His father was acting like customers treating Haley with disrespect was a joke and now Rachel was insulting her. He quietly ate, hoping the afternoon would be over quickly.

As soon as Dan finished his lunch he left. Nathan sat awkwardly with Rachel for about ten more minutes before excusing himself. He fed her some story about having to run errands, but he didn't care if she believed him or not.

As he was walking out of the house he looked in the kitchen. He wanted to say goodbye to Ida before he left. He was surprised to find her with a baby in her arms.

"Well, well," she said, noticing him. "Come over here and meet your brother."

Nathan stayed rooted in his spot.

"Now, don't be afraid. Come meet him."

Nathan slowly stepped further into the kitchen.

"Tommy Scott, this is your big brother Nathan. Nathan, meet Tommy." She lowered her voice, "He's the best thing to come out of all of this."

Nathan couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped. He looked at his baby brother. The baby looked happy, but he wondered how often Dan and Rachel spent time with him. This was his first time seeing the baby and he was in the arms of the housekeeper.

"Hey, Ida, is Wednesday still your day off?"

"Sure is."

"You should come have dinner this week. At Peyton's house." Nathan limped to the counter where Ida kept a pad of paper and a pencil. He wrote the address down and handed it to her before leaving.

Nathan was glad that he got to see Ida again. He was ashamed that he hadn't given the woman much thought while he was gone. Now that he was back, he realized how much he'd missed her. He hoped that she would come to dinner. He didn't give her a chance to say no. He hoped that she wouldn't.

* * *

><p>By the time Wednesday came by Nathan had not yet told Peyton and Lucas that he'd had lunch with Dan. He just didn't want to face the whole thing. Nothing was happening with them watching him; he wasn't slipping up and he was so careful. Lunch hadn't revealed anything. Nathan didn't see a point in really sharing the information when there was nothing to report. The questions would end up being about how he felt about being there.<p>

He felt angry being there and seeing the two of them together. He felt angry whenever Rachel talked about how happy they were. He felt angry seeing Rachel taking his mother's place, or at least trying to. He felt angry and he didn't want to talk about it.

Lucas had managed to come home from work early that day and was helping Peyton in the kitchen. The two worked together, preparing dinner. Nathan looked at the table that had yet to be set.

"We need to set an extra place tonight," he told them.

"Who did you invite?" Peyton kept her back to him, facing the stove.

"Ida," he replied.

"Your housekeeper?" Lucas leaned against the counter.

"Oh, right. I remember Ida," Peyton said. "Okay. Well, then go ahead and set five places, Nate."

"Five?" Nathan didn't get an answer because there was a knock at the door.

"Get that, will you, Little Brother?" Lucas's hands were covered in food as he helped Peyton cook.

Nathan went to the front door and didn't bother looking to see who it was. He assumed that it would be Ida. Instead, standing on the other side of the door was Haley. He didn't say anything, not because he didn't want to, but because he was surprised. He didn't know she would be here and she hadn't mentioned it when he walked her home. They talked now when he walked her home. It was just idle conversation, but it was something he enjoyed.

"Lucas came by the café this morning and invited me to dinner," she explained, sensing his confusion. "I hope that's all right."

"Yes, sorry. Yes." He let her into the house. "Lucas and Peyton are cooking. In the kitchen," he added.

Not waiting for Nathan, Haley walked into the kitchen where she found Lucas and Peyton together. Things still weren't back to normal for her and Lucas. She hoped that his inviting her to dinner was a step in the right direction. Despite the distance between she and her best friend, she couldn't help but feel happy seeing how happy Lucas looked with Peyton. Things may have changed for the both of them, but she still wanted him to be happy.

"Hales," Lucas turned to her after washing his hands. "I'm glad you made it." He noticed the gown draped over her arm. "Why don't we hang that in the hall closet. I don't want you get food on it."

"Thank you."

When they left the room, Peyton spoke to Nathan, who was collecting plates and cutlery. "He invited her this morning."

"I know." He said.

"How are you, big guy?"

"I'm fine, Peyton."

As soon as Ida arrived, dinner was ready. They all sat around the small dining room table. It had only been used sporadically by Peyton and her father. After her mother died, the two usually ate while sitting on the sofa. It was a bit of a tight fit for the five of them.

"Ida was Nathan's housekeeper," Lucas explained to Haley as they were all filling their plates with food.

Nathan had gotten better at speaking to Haley when it was just the two of them, but when they were with a group he still found himself feeling awkward.

Haley and Ida smiled at each other. "It's nice you could come to dinner tonight, Ida."

"Mr. Nathan insisted."

"It's just Nathan, Ida. I don't live there anymore." It was an embarrassing reminder of who he used to be that she still referred to him so formally. He wanted to be a good guy, not that mean, careless person that he had been before. He had been told that he was nice. He wanted to live up to that.

"Well, that would take some getting used to," Ida said. She changed the subject, "You kids seem to have been up to quite a lot lately. Getting married and everything."

"I think the last time I saw you, Ida, was right before Nathan and I broke up."

"I remember," Ida said. "I can't say that I blame you." She looked pointedly at Nathan, knowing that she no longer worked for him. She could also see how much he had changed and she hoped he wouldn't take that comment the wrong way.

"He's come a long way, though," Peyton told the older woman. She understood what Ida was doing and thought it would be best to acknowledge that Nathan had changed.

"Haley, where do you come in?"

"Oh, well, Haley and I have been best friends since we were kids," Lucas explained.

"Haley was also our class valedictorian. She was the smartest girl at Tree Hill," Peyton bragged. She noticed Haley blush.

"Your parents must be so proud."

Haley cleared her throat and moved around some of the food on her plate with her fork. "Yes."

Ida noticed Nathan looking at Haley with sympathy and she wondered what that was about. In fact, she had noticed Nathan glancing at Haley since she'd gotten there. "So, what are you up to now, Haley?"

"I work for Lucas's mom Karen at her café and in the evenings I sing at Dan's."

Ida's look changed. She was aware of what kind of establishment that club was. Haley was a nice girl. Ida knew that about her. She didn't know that the girl had been working for Dan at the club and she didn't like it.

Lucas could see that Haley was uncomfortable with the conversation focused on her. "So, Ida, when did you and Nathan run into each other?"

"Well, it was a few days ago," Ida began.

"I went to lunch at the house," Nathan confessed. "Dan insisted. I wasn't there long."

Three pairs of eyes were on Nathan. Lucas and Peyton has just assumed that Nathan ran into Ida in town at some point. They would have never guessed that he'd gone to the house. Peyton and Lucas knew exactly how hard that was for him. They knew everything that happened in that house. Haley could imagine just how hard it was for Nathan. He'd been a wreck that night. Stepping back into that house couldn't have been easy.

Casual conversation was made throughout the rest of dinner, but it ended quickly because both Nathan and Haley had to be at the club for work. Ida enjoyed her time with the four young people and hugged them each as she was leaving. As she hugged Haley, she whispered every so quietly in the girl's ear, "It was good seeing you again."

* * *

><p>"It's nice that you and Ida are talking," Haley told Nathan as they walked home that night.<p>

"She's always been really nice," Nathan said.

Haley could tell from looking at him that he was deep in thought. She wondered what he was thinking about. His brow was knit together and he was watching the ground as they made their way through Tree Hill to the café.

The conversation between the two flowed so much easier now. For the most part, he would speak without her having to pester him to do so. If she spoke, he would answer her with more than one word. They were at whole sentences now. She hoped that would continue.

"Nathan, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he answered automatically. He was so used to saying that whenever anyone asked him how he was doing that he didn't even stop to think. He was sure he hadn't given Haley any indication that anything was off about him. He didn't feel like anything was off about him. On the contrary, he felt a lightness when he was with Haley. "Why?"

She bit her lip. Nathan noticed that it was something she did when she was nervous. He noticed that she did it a lot before she was about to ask him something that he might not like. His hands were in his pockets and he itched to remove them and take hers in his and comfort her. He figured it must be because she brought him such comfort. That could be the only reason for it.

"I just, I know it couldn't be easy for you to have to go to lunch at your dad's house. With everything that happened there."

"Oh. That."

"Yes. That. Are you okay, Nathan? You can talk to me."

He knew that was true. He could feel it. There was nothing about Haley James that wasn't sincere. It was one of his favorite things about her and he wasn't really even aware of the fact that he now had favorite things about Haley.

"They live there like nothing happened. She lives there like it wasn't some other woman's house." The minute the words left his mouth he couldn't believe he'd said them. He'd been thinking about it ever since he'd had lunch there, but he didn't want to voice those thoughts. He preferred keeping people at arm's length, or further if possible. Yet, something about Haley made him want to let her in.

"I'm so sorry, Nathan. Why did you go? If you don't mind me asking."

"He insisted. I didn't really have much of a choice."

"Will you go back?"

"Not if I can help it. I don't ever want to go in that house," he said, remembering what he had seen happen there.

"Then don't," she said, as if it were as simple as that. She bit down on her lip. He opened up to her, so she felt like maybe she should take a chance. "Nathan, I wanted to apologize to you."

He stopped walking. "For what?"

Haley noticed that Nathan stopped when she was a few steps ahead of him. She walked back to him. "Last week, when we were closing the club and Dan was still there, he yelled at you. I kind of yelled back and told him to stop. I just, I'm sorry if I was out of line or if I embarrassed you. I didn't want to do that."

Nathan remembered that night vividly. He hated that he now couldn't walk without a limp. Not only was it a reminder of what he could no longer do, it was embarrassing. Dan had always loved embarrassing Nathan. Even when Nathan was younger, Dan was so quick to make Nathan feel bad. He was always pointing out his shortcomings. Deb had been witness to much of Dan's abuse, but she had never come to her son's defense. No one had ever come to Nathan's defense until Haley. He knew that no one had ever stood up to Dan like that that he had seen. Haley had and he was in awe of her when it happened.

He didn't bring it up the night it happened. He was still getting used to talking to her. "I wasn't embarrassed. I was when he, well… You didn't embarrass me, Haley. You never could. No one's ever stood up for me with him," he admitted.

"No one? Not even your-."

"No."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry he did that to you. And like I said, I really hope that I didn't embarrass you."

"You really couldn't, Haley. Thank you for what you did. I should have thanked you earlier. I didn't know how."

"You just say 'thank you,'" she teased. "You're welcome. I'm glad you weren't embarrassed."

They resumed walking in a comfortable silence. Haley felt so much better knowing that Nathan didn't mind that she had spoken up on his behalf. It had been worrying her ever since it happened. She felt that he probably didn't mind because he seemed to be warming up to her on their walks. It still bothered her and she was glad she was able to finally bring it up. This was the most Nathan had opened up to her and she was grateful for it.

They were two blocks away when she spoke again. "So, did you see the baby when you were there?"

"Oh, yes. I did. Not for very long. Ida had him when I went to say goodbye to her as I was leaving. Rachel and Dan didn't mention him."

"That's sad." She wondered if she should have said that. "I'm sorry; I shouldn't have said anything."

"No, you're right. Dan never was good at that unless it had to do with baseball."

"And Rachel?"

Nathan shrugged. "I don't really know her, but she didn't really mention Tommy while I was there."

"I thought you two knew each other in high school."

"We had some of the same friends. She would try to talk to me. I didn't really… she just wasn't… I wasn't interested," he stammered. He wanted to change the subject. He didn't want to talk about who he was in high school. "Do you have any brothers and sisters?"

"Yes, I do. Boy, do I," she laughed. "I have three brothers and three sisters."

"Seven kids? Seven?"

"Yes, seven. It was a little chaotic, to say the least."

"I'm guessing that they don't live in Tree Hill."

Haley shook her head. "I'm the only one still here. After a while, everyone sort of went their own way. It's just been me since high school began."

Nathan couldn't help the words that came from his mouth next, "That's not fair."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry. I'm just… they left you all alone here and I know your mom and dad… I shouldn't have said anything."

"They all have their lives to live, Nathan. They have families. They were all here for the funerals and my oldest brother and my sister Vivian both offered me somewhere to stay if I wanted to leave Tree Hill."

"Why didn't you?"

Haley sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Honestly? I promised Lucas that I would look after Karen and Lily."

Nathan had been upset with Lucas because he didn't come to see Haley when her parents died, but now knowing that she stayed behind because of Lucas made him even more upset. Did Lucas even understand what Haley had been through because of the promise that she made to him?

"I don't think you should have to handle all of this on your own," he told her, really looking at her. He thought he saw a flash of sadness in her eyes.

Haley felt something warm inside of her. There was something about Nathan's words that made her feel safe and like everything was going to be all right. For some reason that she didn't understand, he seemed to care about her. He was making her think about something that she hadn't wanted to think about.

Since her parents had died, she tried her best to keep busy. She needed the work, but she was grateful for how busy it kept her. Looking after Karen and Lily also kept her busy. The busier she was, the less she had to think about how hard things had been. She chose it. She chose to stay in Tree Hill after her brother and sister invited her to live with either of them. She made a promise to Lucas and chose to keep it. But, if she had too much free time, she would have time to think about how hard her choice had been.

She felt unnerved by Nathan. But, she also felt safe. She didn't want to let him know that, though. "I'm fine," she told him. "Really, it's fine. I have Karen and Brooke. They've been such a help. I don't know what I would have done without them."

"I'm glad you had them."

"So, we're here," Haley announced as they made it to the café.

"I'm sorry if I said anything I shouldn't have."

"You didn't. You were fine. Thank you for walking me home, Nathan."

"Of course. You're welcome, Haley."

Haley bit her lip again. She'd done it several times during their walk home. Before she could second guess herself she leaned in and wrapped her arms around Nathan's neck. She couldn't explain why, but she felt like it was the right thing to do.

It was. She felt warmer and safer than she already did in his presence. It took him several moments to put his arm around her mid-section. He hadn't wanted to. He resisted. But after spending a few seconds in her arms, he couldn't stop himself. The closer he got to her, the harder it was to stay away. He knew he couldn't get close to her. He felt like he was telling himself that each and every night now that he was walking her home instead of following her home.

It was dangerous for her to be around him, but he couldn't stop himself. He tried not talking to her. He tried staying away from her. He tried being rude to her. The harder he tried to stay away, the closer he found himself to her. He couldn't help it and as he felt her arms around him, he knew he didn't want to.

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> Thanks again, guys! Hope you enjoyed it and review! I'll try to have another chapter up soon.


	11. Make Jokes

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Notes:** Wow. The updates are coming quickly. Hopefully I can keep that up. There was some question about what Ida said in the last chapter to Haley about seeing her again. You'll find out just what Ida meant in this chapter. You weren't supposed to know in the last one, but you were supposed to wonder. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this. There's more of Naley getting to know each other.

Also, I'm considering upping the rating on this story in the next few chapters. It's not a guarantee of anything, but I want to give myself some room just in case. Thanks for reading!

* * *

><p>The rain was pouring as Haley ran toward Peyton's house. She had Nathan's jacket over her head. He had just dropped her off at the café after work and he had forgotten his jacket. He said he was going straight home and she hoped she could catch up with him. She knew this was silly. She knew that this was probably stupid. She could easily give him the jacket back the next night. For reasons she didn't want to think about, she felt compelled to give him the jacket now. It would be useless to him. It was soaked through.<p>

As they exited the club earlier, they walked into a downpour. Nathan had taken his jacket, which had been over his arm, and held it above Haley's head. He held it there during their entire walk home. They'd said goodbye in the doorway of the café and he'd run off in the rain. After Haley had gotten inside, she was about to set the jacket down when she realized that it was his and he'd forgotten it.

He was already soaking wet. As they were saying goodbye, she had noticed how his wet shirt had clung to his frame. She tried not to stare, but it was difficult. More rain wouldn't make a difference on him. Now she was getting soaked. Still, she kept running toward Peyton's house. She didn't see him. He couldn't have made it much further than her.

She made it to Peyton's and stood on the porch, unsure of what to do. There was a light on that she could see from the window. She knew it had to be Nathan, having just gotten home. She figured that he probably ran like she did to get out of the rain. His legs were longer and even with the limp, she knew he was probably faster than she was. Now that she was at the front door she was nervous. A horde of butterflies were flapping their wings inside of her stomach.

Gathering her courage, she finally brought her fist to the door and knocked. She waited, her arms wrapped around herself and holding Nathan's jacket to her. It wasn't cold. Far from it, it was a humid summer rain. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other as she waited for the door to open. Eventually, it was opened by a very startled looking Peyton.

"Haley? What are you doing here?"

"Uh," Haley stalled. She didn't know why, but she didn't expect Peyton to be the one to answer the door. It was past midnight. Peyton should have been asleep. She hugged herself tighter and felt Nathan's jacket. "Nathan forgot his jacket."

"Oh." Peyton looked at Haley. The poor girl looked like she had just drowned. Nathan's jacket could have waited, yet here Haley was. Peyton couldn't wait to talk to Brooke about this, but first things first. Peyton reached for Haley and pulled the girl into the house. "Get in out of the rain."

Haley was about to object, but Peyton had taken off down the hall. Haley stood in the middle of the entryway of the house, dripping rain water onto the floor. When Peyton returned, she wrapped a blanket around Haley's shoulders and began helping her dry off.

"You're staying here tonight," Peyton insisted. "There's no way I'm letting you go out in this weather like this. You know, you could have given Nathan his jacket later. What were you even doing with it?"

"Uh, the rain, when I walked home. He let me use it," she said, not lying completely.

"Well, he's not home yet. I'll show you upstairs."

"Where's Lucas?"

"He's still at work. He gets home late a lot of nights. Still, the hours are better than when we were in Durham."

"I'm sorry if I woke you up," Haley apologized.

"Oh, you didn't," Peyton told her. "I'm a night owl. I was just up in the attic cleaning up after working. I was about to get some sleep."

Haley followed Peyton upstairs. They stopped by the hall closet, where Peyton pulled out some clean sheets. Peyton continued to another room. Haley had never been upstairs in Peyton's house before and she felt a little out of place.

"Lucas and I are down the hall and Nathan's room is across from this one," Peyton explained. "There's nothing here except the bed. I'm sorry about that."

"Peyton, you don't have to do this. I can just walk home."

"Haley, the radio said that this is from a hurricane offshore. It's not supposed to hit land, but it's still going to be raining all night. I'm not letting you out there. Now, stop acting like you're an inconvenience. I doubt you've inconvenienced anyone in your entire life, Haley James.

"At least let me put those sheets on," Haley offered, taking them from Peyton's hands.

"Okay, I'll get you a nightgown." Peyton returned minutes later. "It should fit. Either way, you can't wear that wet dress and get sick. We wouldn't want you unable to sing. I've been meaning to come by the club again. I'm really proud of you, Haley."

"Thank you, Peyton."

"You know, you could record and be on the radio. You could play New York or even sing in the movies. You're better than a lot of what's on the radio these days."

"Oh, I'm not that good, Peyton."

"Yes, you are. Anyway, you look pretty beat. I'll let you get some rest. Sleep well. I'll see you in the morning."

* * *

><p>Haley had a fitful night of sleep. She knew she must have fallen asleep at some point, because she woke up and saw the sun coming in through the window in the small room. She didn't know what time it was, but since the sun wasn't up completely, she knew it was early. The sun coming out also meant that it was no longer raining. She looked and saw her dress hanging where she left it the night before. She stood up and felt the fabric, making sure that it was dry. Feeling that it was, she quickly slipped it back on. After taking the sheets off of the bed and folding them, she quietly left the room.<p>

She nearly jumped when she saw Nathan a few feet away from her exiting his own room, pulling his suspenders to his shoulders.

"Good morning."

"What are you doing here?" On instinct, he shoved his hands into his pockets.

"I brought your jacket back. I'm sorry. When you left, I hadn't realized that I still had it." She kept her voice low, knowing that Lucas and Peyton were still asleep down the hall.

"Haley, the whole point of walkin' you home is so you're not alone. You walked all the way over here and in the rain?" Nathan felt both amazed and amused by Haley. From the way she was biting her lip, he could see her nervousness. "Thank you, though."

"I just thought you might need it with all the rain. I was thinking that I'd catch up to you after you left. Then, when I got here, you weren't even home. I thought you said you were going straight home. I must have heard you wrong."

Uh oh. Nathan had told her that, but it wasn't the truth. He didn't like that Haley had caught him in a lie and he liked even less that he had lied to her in the first place. "I had something to do," he vaguely replied. "I can walk you home now. I'm guessing that's where you're going."

Haley smiled at him. His eyes seemed lighter than they had when he first came back to Tree Hill. He didn't seem to have such a weight on him and she was so happy about that.

"Nathan, it's day now. You walk me home at night when it's dark." Haley wanted to accept his offer. She wanted to spend more time with him. She hadn't acknowledged it to herself, but the reason she ran through the rain the night before is because she wanted to spend a little more time with Nathan. Even if it was only a few minutes.

"It's no trouble, Haley." He hoped that she wouldn't say no again. He was happy to see her again. He didn't want her to know where he'd been the night before, but he still wanted to spend some extra time with her.

"Okay. I do have to get going now, though. I have to open the café for Karen."

Nathan motioned with his hand for her to go first and then followed after her. They didn't speak much on the way there. They spoke more on their way home from the club. It was still nice to be around each other and when Haley had opened the door to walk in, she took a chance. "Come in."

"Oh, Haley, that's fine," Nathan began to walk away.

"Nonsense. Come on in." She held the door open for him and waited for him to walk in. He did, after a few seconds. He stood in the middle of the café, unsure of what to do. He'd never been in there, but he liked the look of it. It looked comfortable and homey. He watched as Haley took the chairs from one of the tables and put them right side up. Without a word, she disappeared behind the counter. He could hear her doing something back there. He heard clinking and a few other noises.

"It'll be a few minutes," she told him when she came back from the kitchen. He didn't know what she was referring to. He watched her begin to get the rest of the chairs ready and he began to help her.

"Nathan, you really don't have to do that."

"I don't mind, Haley. Besides, isn't this what you invited me in for?"

Is that what he thought? "Of course not, Nathan! Not at all!"

"Relax, Haley. I was kidding." The fact that he was kidding took Nathan by surprise. He couldn't remember the last time that he made a joke of any kind, but that lightness that he felt around Haley was becoming more apparent.

"You were joking?" Haley was also surprised by Nathan's joke, but she found that she really liked the change in him.

"Yeah, sorry."

"Don't apologize for that, Nathan. Actually, come to think about it, I think you apologize too much. Don't be so worried about things. Just relax a little and have fun. Make jokes," she smiled.

Nathan smiled back at her. It came about so naturally and he didn't even notice that he did it. "Maybe you should have some fun too," he suggested.

"I don't really have time for that. I mean, I enjoy my time with Brooke and with Lily and Karen. The dinners we've been having on Sundays are nice. Excuse me," she went back to the kitchen. When she came back, she was carrying a cup of coffee with her. "Do you need milk or sugar?"

"Oh, thank you. You didn't have to do that."

"Well, you walked me home twice within the past twelve hours and then helped me get this place ready. It's the least I could do."

"I'll take some sugar, then," he said, taking the cup for her.

"Have a seat," she said as she brought him the sugar. "I just have a few more things to do."

He sat and drank his coffee and watched her. She did everything like it was second nature. He could see that she had a routine. She seemed to do everything in a specific order. She would softly hum to herself as she worked and he couldn't help by smile at her. He wasn't sure how long he'd been watching her and sipping his coffee when Karen came in for the morning. Lily was with her.

"Good morning. Nathan, it's so nice to see you."

Nathan stood up. He had trouble looking at Karen. He'd seen his father shoot his Uncle Keith – Karen's husband. Nathan felt a pang of guilt when he looked at Karen. He couldn't help it. He looked to Haley, hoping for some guidance but knowing that he wasn't going to get it. She didn't understand what he was feeling because she didn't know what he had seen.

"How are you, Nathan?"

"I'm fine," was his automatic response.

"He walked me home this morning," Haley explained. Realizing how that could have sounded, she continued, "From Peyton's. The storm last night, Peyton let me stay there."

"Of, yes, of course. Thank you for walking her home, Nathan."

"It was no trouble."

"Well, Haley, I doubt that you've taken any time for yourself since you got here?"

"I needed to get things ready."

"Well, go ahead. We'll be fine down here."

"I wasn't quite finished preparing the café to open."

"I can handle it. Go right on ahead."

"Thank you. And thank you, Nathan."

"You're welcome, Haley," he smiled at her. Now that he was smiling at her, he felt like he always had been. It felt like the easiest thing to do.

As soon as Haley had gone upstairs, Nathan began to walk toward the kitchen with his coffee cup. "Where should I put this?"

"Oh, just have a seat, Nathan. I'll make you breakfast."

"Oh, no, that's fine, Mrs. Scott."

Karen laughed. "Nathan, we are actually family. You can call me Karen. Now sit down. I'll make you some breakfast."

Nathan ate the eggs, bacon, and toast that Karen made for him and it was all delicious. He wasn't comfortable speaking to her, but he figured that was okay since she seemed busy taking care of the café. As he scooped another bite of food into his mouth, he heard Karen answer the café's phone. He wasn't paying attention to her, but noticed that Haley came down the stairs. He hadn't noticed that Karen had gone upstairs to get her.

"Hello," he heard her say to the person on the other end. He knew he shouldn't listen, but he couldn't help it.

"Charlie, hello! How is she?" Nathan saw her expression light up. She wore her smile all over her face. "Oh, that's wonderful news! They're both fine? I don't think I can with work, Charlie. Yes, I'll try. Okay, thank you for calling."

Nathan looked at her as she was hanging up the phone. She was wearing a different dress, so he guessed that she'd freshened up while she was upstairs. Her hair wasn't finished, but he thought she looked beautiful.

"Good news?" Karen was writing something down on the counter.

"Vivian had her baby yesterday. A little girl. Jane Margaret. She and Vivian are both doing well."

"Congratulations, Aunt Haley," Karen hugged her. "What was that you said about not being able to do something because of work?"

"Oh, well, Vivian and Charlie want me to come visit as soon as possible. I would love to. I miss them, but I'm just too busy. Even if I wasn't working, I can't afford the bus or the train."

"Haley, you know that if you wanted to go, I would help you. You could have a few days off of work and I would help you get up there."

"Karen, I would take the days off, but you know I won't take the money. I can't do that."

"You're far too proud sometimes, Haley. It doesn't hurt to ask for help."

Nathan didn't want to interrupt, but he'd finished his breakfast and he also didn't want to be in the way. "Um, Mrs.-, I mean Karen. Thank you for breakfast. I should get going. Haley, congratulations on your niece," he smiled at her.

"Thank you, Nathan. I'll see you tonight."

"I'll see you tonight."

* * *

><p>The rain was gone, but the smell of it hung in the air. The humidity level was high and even though the sun had gone down, it was still stiflingly hot as Nathan walked Haley home. His sleeves were rolled up past his elbows, his tie was loose around his neck, and his vest was unbuttoned. He'd even stuffed his hat in the back pocket of his trousers.<p>

"You know, you've met Ida before," Nathan told her as they walked. "I don't know if you remember."

"I do," she looked at him. "I didn't know that you knew. I didn't know she had told you."

"She, uh, she didn't." He looked a little guilty. "I was hiding in my mom's closet," he began.

_**Tree Hill, 1938**_

Nathan was looking through the drawers in his mother's room. Deb had stopped sharing Dan's bed ages ago. Her drinking got progressively worse and Nathan knew that if he looked, he would find something. He and the guys from the team were planning a little party. He was rummaging underneath her bed when he heard someone come in the front door. He stopped to listen.

"Mrs. Scott?" The voice belonged to Ida, their housekeeper. She was the only one home besides Nathan.

"We found her and she wasn't in any state to be out, so we brought her home," a woman's voice said. "We'll get her upstairs."

Nathan could hear footsteps coming up the stairs and panicked. He didn't want to be found with a bottle of gin in his hands. He looked over and saw his mother's closet. He quickly got inside, leaving the door slightly ajar, the bottle tight in his grasp.

Nathan watched, waiting for his mother and whoever it was with her to come upstairs. He recognized who it was as soon as they walked in. His mother was in between his Aunt Karen and that girl. He'd noticed her before with his brother. Her name was Haley. He thought she was pretty, but anytime she looked at him, she did so with such anger.

His mother had one arm around Karen and one around Haley.

"Is Mr. Scott home?" Karen looked to Ida.

"No, ma'am. He won't be home for hours."

"Okay, let's get a few things for Mrs. Scott. Haley, will you be all right?"

"Yes, go ahead."

Nathan stayed in the closet and kept his eyes on Haley and his mother. He watched as Haley gently got Deb onto her bed. He watched as Haley carefully took the shoes from Deb's feet and then as Haley pulled the throw that was at the end of the bed over Deb, up to her waist.

"Where am I?" Deb's voice was groggy. She tried sitting up and leaned up on her elbow. Nathan hated seeing her like that.

"You're at home, Mrs. Scott. Karen and I found you downtown. We brought you home."

Deb slowly nodded her head. "Who, who are you? Do you go to school with my son?"

"My name is Haley. Yes, I go to Tree Hill."

"Is my husband home?"

"No, ma'am, he's not."

"Good. He hits me. And he used to hit Nathan."

Nathan cringed at the memories of the times Dan used to hit him. He was happy when he got big enough that Dan wouldn't dare come after him again. Now, instead of fists, Dan used words.

Nathan could see that Haley didn't know what to do. He watched as the realization of what went on in the Scott house hit her. He watched as she sympathetically looked at his mother.

"Why don't you get some rest, Mrs. Scott? Things will be better when you wake up."

"No, they won't. But it's sweet that you think that. You're a nice girl. You know, it's too bad my son is turning into his father. I hoped he wouldn't."

Nathan cringed. He knew the pain that Dan could inflict and being like Dan was the last thing that he wanted. Knowing his mother felt that he was becoming his father made him angry. He felt like she should have been the one to help him avoid that. The problem was that she was always drunk.

"The trash," Deb said, pointing to it.

Unsure of what to do, Haley grabbed it and brought it to her. Deb took it, leaned over the bed, and vomited. Instead of running as fast as she could, Haley simply rubbed Deb's back and held her hair back. Nathan couldn't understand it. He'd never met someone like that before. Most people saw that kind of a mess and would run. Haley wasn't looking at his mother with pity; she was looking at her with sadness. She wasn't running; she was helping.

Without another word, Deb laid her head on her pillow and passed out. Nathan continued to watch. Haley wasn't leaving. After a few minutes, Karen and Ida returned. Karen had a glass of water with her and a cloth. Ida was carrying a bowl.

"Ida, is it?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"It's Karen. Ida, how comfortable do you feel passing along a message to Mrs. Scott without Mr. Scott knowing?"

Ida just nodded her head.

"When she wakes up, or whenever Mr. Scott isn't here, I want you to tell her that if she ever needs any help she can come to me and my husband. If she needs anything at all, we will be there. We'll be there for both her and Nathan."

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you," Ida said, smiling. Ida dipped the cloth in the bottle and placed it on Deb's forehead.

"We should get back, Haley."

Nathan watched Haley nod and soon, they were gone. He waited until he heard the front door close. He then quietly removed himself from the closet. He went to his mother and set the bottle of gin on her nightstand, not thinking. "If I'm like dad, you're helping it, mom."

_**Tree Hill, 1941**_

"You were there? Why didn't you say anything?"

"I didn't want to get caught hiding in the closet looking for gin," Nathan explained. He knew what Damien had meant the one and only time he'd come into the club. Nathan came to Haley's defense. He'd been doing it ever since he watched her help his mother when few others would. A few weeks after that incident, his brother had joined the baseball team. That was the first time that Nathan came to Haley's defense. Nathan, Damien, and Tim had been in the library and were discussing how to get Lucas off the team. Damien had made a remark about Haley and it had angered Nathan. Damien had made a few comments since then, but Nathan always came to her defense.

"When Ida left dinner a few weeks ago, she told me that it was nice to see me again. I really am sorry about your mom, Nathan. I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"Thank you. It's not easy, is it?"

"No, it's not."

Nathan was surprised by the next question that came to his lips. "Are you happy, Haley?" He regretted it as soon as he said it and quickly spoke again. "Nevermind, you don't have to answer that. I just know that your parents both are gone and it happened quickly. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize for everything, Nathan," she repeated what she had told him earlier in the day when they were in the café. She still didn't answer his question and she tried not to think about it.

"I'll try to stop apologizing. Although, I am sorry that you can't go see your sister."

"Yeah, me too. I haven't seen any of them since my father's funeral. It's been so long."

"Karen said she would give you the time off of work. I didn't mean to listen in…"

"Stop apologizing, Nathan. I know she would. Your dad wouldn't, though. Even if he would, I can't afford it."

"Where does she live?"

"Norfolk, Virgina," Haley answered. "Her husband is in the Navy."

An idea popped into Nathan's head and he was a little afraid to voice it, but being around Haley was making him feel brave. "What if you didn't have to pay for a bus or the train?"

"That would be swell. Do you have a free bus pass or something?"

"No. I was just thinking that, if you wanted, I could drive you."

"Nathan, I couldn't ask you to do that."

"You didn't. I'm offering. Virginia isn't that far. It's, what, a five hour drive?"

"A little less."

"So, we could leave after work on a Saturday and drive during the night. You could spend all day Sunday with your sister and the baby and then we could drive back here on Monday. We'd be back in time for work."

"You have it all figured out, don't you?"

"Actually, I just thought of it all."

"Nathan, you don't have to go to all that trouble."

"What trouble?"

"Nathan…"

"Haley, you should get to see your family. Call your sister tomorrow morning and let her know you'll be there early Sunday morning. I'll walk you home Saturday after work, I'll go get the car, and then come back for you."

"Nathan, I don't know what to say." They were now standing in the doorway of the café. "I can't believe you'd do that for me." She felt tears forming in her eyes. She wiped them away.

"Don't cry, Haley."

"I'm sorry, I just… it's so nice of you to do this for me." She leaned forward and hugged him. The hug was more than their previous hug. She held onto him tightly and he didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her this time.

"Thank you, Nathan."

"It isn't a problem, Haley."

"Okay, so Saturday. I'll call Vivian in the morning. You know, you don't have to walk me home Saturday night. I can just walk here and then you could come get me. I don't want to be any trouble."

"You're no trouble, Haley. I'll walk you home and then go for the car and come back to get you."

* * *

><p>The next morning, Lucas sat in the kitchen reading his newspaper. Nothing caught his eye until, three pages in, he found a story written by Mouth. Lucas felt a feeling of dread as he read the article and the dread must have been written all over his face, because Peyton noticed.<p>

"What's wrong, honey?"

"An article Mouth wrote."

"What does it say?"

_"The Volstead Act was repealed in 1933, but sources tell this reporter that Tree Hill was getting its thirst for alcoholic beverages quenched long before that. These days, you're likely to find anyone in need of a drink frequenting Dan Scott's nightclub. Little did these patrons know that they'd been frequenting Mayor Scott's long before that. Evidence is emerging that our Mayor oversaw the operations for bootleg alcoholic beverages almost throughout the entire duration of the Volstead Act. If this is true, it means that Tree Hill elected a criminal to run our beautiful city."_

"Oh, no," Peyton sat at the table with her husband.

"Dan isn't going to let Mouth get away with that," Lucas said somberly. "I told him to be careful."

* * *

><p><strong>Notes: <strong>That's right, road trip. That'll be the next chapter. Thank you for reading and reviewing! I love reading your reviews. :)


	12. She Was Standing Still

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Notes:** Well, we're now at over one hundred reviews! Thanks, guys! I hope you enjoy this chapter. Also, I'll be upping the rating next chapter. Don't get excited, if anything happens, it won't be for a while.

* * *

><p>It was nearly two o'clock in the morning when Nathan and Haley were driving to Norfolk, Virginia. They would get there around six and Haley hoped that she would be able to stay awake so that she could make the most of her time with her sister. She hadn't been able to talk Nathan out of picking her up. She insisted to him that it was fine if she met him at Peyton and Lucas's or even if he didn't walk her home from the club that night. He wouldn't be persuaded. They walked to the café as they normally would and not long after, he returned with Lucas's car.<p>

"You should try to get some sleep," Nathan suggested as they made their way through North Carolina.

"And leave you driving all by yourself? That wouldn't be fair, Nathan."

"I don't mind, Haley. Really, get some sleep so that you can make the most of your visit."

"What if I'd rather stay awake and talk to you?"

He quickly glanced at her, but kept his eyes on the road. He was pretty sure that each day she got more beautiful. She looked tired, though. He knew she had to be. She worked so hard. She literally didn't have a single day off during the week.

"How about you keep talking to me until you fall asleep?"

"Okay, but I'm not going to fall asleep," she said.

"Sure, whatever you say," he smiled. "So, um, what did Karen say when you said I was taking you to Virginia?"

Haley bit down on her lip and looked down at her hands in her lap. "I didn't. It's not that I didn't want her to know or that I was hiding it from her. She just would have told Brooke and Brooke gets enthusiastic about things. I'm not trying to hide anything. It's just that Brooke would never let it go."

Nathan nodded, but felt a little hurt. He also felt confused because he realized that he didn't know what they were to each other. He wasn't sure he knew what he wanted to be for her. He couldn't blame her completely, though. He knew that he had pushed her away when he first returned to town. He'd been trying to keep her at arms length. He knew it was impossible. He couldn't stay away from her, even though he knew he should.

Haley may not have told anyone who she was with, but he couldn't blame her. He didn't tell Lucas or Peyton. He wasn't sure how Lucas would react. Lucas seemed very protective over Haley and Nathan understood that. He wanted Haley to be protected too. He was just nervous about his brother's reaction. So, he kept quiet. So did Haley. He tried not to feel hurt by her not telling anyone because he had done the same.

"So, tell me about your sister."

"Well, Vivian is the second oldest after my brother, Ned."

"Are you two alike?"

"I think we look the most alike. You know, brown hair and eyes. We both also did really well in school and we're kind of quiet. I think Seth and I are the most alike, though."

"Seth?"

"He lives in Chicago," Haley said.

"So, everyone really did go their separate ways." It didn't sit well with Nathan that Haley had been left all alone.

"Vivian is in Norfolk, Ned is in Charleston, Eli is in Omaha, Quinn is in New York, Seth is in Chicago, and the last I heard, Taylor was in Georgia. They all had their own lives to lead."

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"If you weren't working so hard, what would you be doing?"

"Well, if things had worked out and I could afford it, I would have liked to go to college."

"You were always smart."

"How did you know that?"

"I know you were smart in school. I know that you tutored. I'm sorry you couldn't go to college."

She cleared her throat. She could hear the sincerity in his voice. Even though she told him not to apologize for so much, she didn't stop him. "I still want to go. It's kind of why I work two jobs. Working at the café, it's just enough to pay rent and to live. Just enough. It wouldn't be, but I know Karen gives me a break on rent."

"She probably would stop charging you rent if you asked."

"Oh, she tried to not charge me, but I can't do that. I don't want to feel like I'm living off of someone's charity. I know that's hard for some people to understand, but I just can't do it. So, I pay her a small amount of rent and I work at Dan's. Everything I make at Dan's, I save. Hopefully someday I can go to school."

"I hope you get that, Haley. You deserve that."

"Thank you. So, what about you? What would you be doing?"

Nathan thought about his knee and he swore he could feel a bit of tightening in it, reminding him of how it felt when he crashed into the catcher during that game. "The plan was always to play baseball. If it wasn't for my knee, I'd be on summer break from school and preparing for my junior year."

"I'm sorry about your knee, Nathan. I know how much you loved baseball. I could tell when I saw you play."

"I wish I could have given you my spot at college. It's wasted on someone like me."

"Why is that?"

"I don't really like school. I'm not smart. My dad used to tell me I should wear a dunce cap instead of a baseball cap."

"You shouldn't listen to what he says. He's wrong about you, Nathan. I wonder if he even knows you."

With just those words, Nathan felt more of the weight he'd been carrying for two years drift away. The more time he spent with her, the more that weight lifted. Being around her just felt right.

True to her word, she didn't sleep on their drive to Virginia. They made excellent timing and got there just before six o'clock in the morning. Nathan stepped out of the car and reached for Haley's bag. He was going to open the door for her, but she got out of the car before he could. He saw her face light up as she began approaching the front door. Her smile grew when a woman who looked like her, but older, stepped out.

The two sisters ran to each other and hugged. They hugged for several minutes. Haley hadn't felt just how much she missed her family until she and Vivian were hugging. She didn't even notice her brother-in-law watching from the doorway. The two sisters finally pulled apart and Haley blushed as Vivian looked her up and down.

"How have you been, baby sister?"

"Me? Viv, you just had a baby. How is she? Where is she?"

"She's inside. She's actually asleep, which is a change."

"I'll bet she's beautiful."

"Of course she is. So, we only have one bedroom here, so you and your friend are going to have to decide which gets the couch and which gets the floor."

Nathan heard that part of the conversation and stepped up, Haley's bag in hand. "I was just gonna go find a boarding house."

"Oh, absolutely not," Vivian said. "No, you drove her here, you're visiting. That's all there is to it. Charlie, can you help and get his bag?"

"I really don't want to be any trouble."

"You're no trouble at all. So, what's your name?"

"Vivian, this is Nathan. Nathan, this is my sister, Vivian. Getting your bag from the car is her husband, Charlie."

Nathan followed Vivian and Haley into the house and tried to take his own bag from Charlie, but Charlie wouldn't let him. Their house was small, but Nathan guessed that it was enough for the couple and their baby.

"You can put that here in the corner," Charlie said, indicating the bag in Nathan's hand.

Nathan did as Charlie said, then stood back against the wall, trying to stay out of the way.

"I'll get you both some coffee," Vivian offered. She noticed Nathan. It looked like he was trying to disappear into the wall. "Nathan, come into the kitchen. We don't bite."

"Come on," Haley beckoned. At her words, Nathan went into the kitchen with everyone else.

"You two must be exhausted from driving," Charlie said as they sat down at the small kitchen table. "Did you sleep in the car or take turns driving?"

"No, we stayed awake and Nathan drove. He told me I should sleep. I'll be fine. Although, Nathan, if you want to take a nap or something, that's fine," Haley said, looking at him with concern.

"Really, Nathan, go ahead and take a nap," Vivian agreed.

"I'll be fine," he said. "Please, don't worry about me."

"Well, we're definitely making breakfast for the two of you," Charlie offered.

"So, Nathan," Vivian began whisking eggs in a bowl, "are you the same Nathan that's Lucas's brother?"

"Yes, ma'am. I am."

"It's nice that you two are getting along. Haley mentioned it in her letters. From all the stories we heard when you kids were growing up, it's nice that you could get past that."

"It's nice having a brother," Nathan agreed.

Haley smiled. That was actually the first time that she'd heard Nathan use the word 'brother' to describe Lucas. She knew they were close, but she hadn't really had the chance to see them together. Her relationship with Nathan, and she was realizing that in some form they did have one, was isolated from the rest of the people in their lives. At the moment, she liked it that way. When they were around other people Nathan had a tendency to close off. His walls would go up and wouldn't come down.

"How do you two know each other?" Charlie began setting plates at the table.

"We work together at the club," Haley answered.

Nathan wasn't aware that she'd told her family that she worked there. She hadn't told Lucas, so he assumed that very few people knew.

"Vivian is the only one of my brothers and sisters that I told," Haley explained.

"I don't like it, but I can't stop her," Vivian said. "So, you work there too, Nathan?"

"I'm a bartender."

"Do me a favor," Vivian asked, "and look after my baby sister."

"He already does," Haley said. She didn't think; she just answered. It was true. Even before she was aware of him doing it, Nathan had been looking out for her.

* * *

><p>Karen and Brooke were working around the kitchen preparing for Sunday dinner. Lucas, Peyton, and Julian would be there soon. Julian had come a few times and he fit in well with the rest of them.<p>

As soon as they were all sitting around the table they all realized that it felt a little empty.

"So, where is Haley?" Lucas passed the chicken to Peyton.

"She went to Norfolk to visit Vivian. She'll be back on Monday," Karen answered. "So, you still couldn't talk Nathan into coming to dinner?"

"He's actually not around," Peyton replied. "We woke up and found a note saying he needed the car and he would be back on Monday."

"Wait a minute," Brooke's expression was enthusiastic. "They're both gone and they'll both be back on Monday?"

"Brooke, what are you getting at?" Lucas stopped piling food onto his plate.

"Julian, you said they talk more at the club now, right?" Brooke turned to Julian, who was seated to the right of her.

"Um, yes. Yes, they do," he looked down guiltily.

"What do you know?" Brooke was beginning to be able to read Julian well. She liked that she could so easily tell what was going on with him. "Julian Baker, what do you know?"

"Nothing. I just, I noticed that when Nathan first started working there, he would turn left when he went home. Then, a while after that, he started turning right. I think… I think he's been walking her home."

Brooke's smile widened and she could barely control her excitement. "He's her stalker!"

"Haley has a stalker? Brooke, what are you talking about?" Peyton was across the table from Brooke.

"Well, a little bit after you guys came home, she said it felt like someone had been following her home from work. I asked her about it a while later and she said it stopped. He is her stalker! And now he walks her home! I told you, P. Sawyer!"

"Calm down, Brooke. We don't even know for sure if he drove her to Norfolk. Don't get ahead of yourself." Peyton turned to everyone else. "Brooke seems to think that both Nathan and Haley need some help getting past everything that's happened to them in the past two years. She seems to think that they're the ones who can help each other."

"Nathan and Haley?" Lucas looked like he'd been completely blindsided. "She never liked him."

"Neither did you," Karen pointed out.

"But we're brothers. It's different. They don't know each other."

"Well, they probably talk when they walk home from the club," Peyton assumed.

"So, you're brothers. She's a beautiful girl and he's a handsome fella," Brooke said. "What's the problem?"

* * *

><p>Nathan sat on the couch in Vivian and Charlie's living room. Charlie was in a chair nearby and the two were listening to a baseball game on the radio. Nathan didn't like listening to the game, but he was a guest in their home so he didn't say anything. Vivian and Haley were in the kitchen with the baby and Nathan could hear their conversation. He could hear it because he was trying not to listen to the baseball game.<p>

"So, tell me about Nathan," he heard Vivian ask.

"Viv, we work together."

"Haley, you now there's more going on. The man drove you all the way up here on no sleep. And the way he looks at you."

"How does he look at me?"

Nathan felt a little guilty for listening in, but he was curious to know how Vivian saw him.

"He looks at you like there's no one else in the world. He doesn't even realize that he does it."

"Vivian…"

"What, Haley? I say, go for it. You've been so busy these past two years. You helped to take care of mom while she was sick. You looked after dad and I know that was hard. Now, you're working two jobs. Do something for yourself. Be happy."

"Vivian, I don't have time for anything…"

"Make time. Haley, you keep so busy. Relax, please. You would be able to if you'd moved here with Charlie and me when we asked. If you didn't want that, you could have moved in with Ned."

"I couldn't, Vivian."

"Why not?"

Haley sighed loudly. Nathan could hear it.

"Haley, what was keeping you in Tree Hill? Whatever it is, it's made you work yourself to the bone. You're nineteen years old. You shouldn't have to do this."

"I promised Lucas," Haley's voice got quieter and Nathan knew he shouldn't listen anymore. The house was so small, though, that it was possible not to hear them even with her voice lowered. "Lucas said that he couldn't leave and help Nathan if he didn't know that someone was looking after Karen and Lily. He said that I was the only one that he trusted to do it. So, that's why I've stayed."

"Haley, do you think for a second that Lucas would have held it against you if you had left after mom and dad died? You know he wouldn't."

"Viv, I couldn't leave."

"Haley, why not?"

"Because I needed to keep busy," Haley snapped. "I needed to not think about everything that happened."

Nathan heard silence. The sisters were silent for several moments. He thought that he heard someone sniffle and he hoped that Haley wasn't crying.

"Okay. So, you stayed. There's nothing we can do about that now. But you have to live your life, Haley Bob. You know it's what mom and dad would want."

* * *

><p>That night, sleeping arrangements had been decided on and Nathan was on the floor next to the couch. Haley was on the couch. Both were wide awake. They were exhausted, but they were awake.<p>

"How are you?" Nathan kept his voice low so that he didn't wake Vivian, Charlie, and the baby. Jane was a beautiful baby. He'd held her earlier. He'd tried to say no, but before he could really get a word out, Vivian had put the baby in his arms. He had enjoyed watching Haley with the baby. She was a natural and Jane had really taken to her.

"I'm fine. Thank you for bringing me here, Nathan. It really means a lot." Her conversation with her sister had been on her mind all day. She had a great time visiting with Vivian and Charlie and the baby was beautiful. She wondered if Nathan had heard her talking with Vivian. It was a small house. Military housing didn't really offer a lot of space. She hoped he hadn't heard it.

"It's not a problem, Haley. I was glad to do it. It's nice to see you look so happy."

"Do you think I don't look happy?"

"No, I didn't mean that. I mean, it's just nice seeing you take a break and relax. Kind of."

"What do you mean kind of?"

"Well, you're still not taking a break, Haley. You wouldn't sit still. You helped cook dinner, you washed the dishes, and whenever Vivian said she needed something you offered to get it for her. You can't help it, can you? You can't help taking care of people."

"I'm not… I mean-," she tried to find the right words.

"I didn't mean anything by it, Haley. It's nice that you take care of people. But, I think it would also be nice if you got a break from all of that. Goodnight, Haley. Sleep well."

"Goodnight, Nathan."

* * *

><p>Far too soon for Haley's liking, she and Nathan were driving back to Tree Hill. They'd gotten an early start so that they could rest a little before going to work that night. There's no way that Dan would have let them take a night off. They sat together in the car, occasionally making comments about the passing scenery. Neither had been to Virginia before and thought it was beautiful.<p>

The night before, as Nathan was falling asleep, he kept feeling guilty. He knew that he shouldn't have listened in on Haley and Vivian's conversation. He felt so bad about it. It was none of his business. It had been bothering him throughout the day and then that morning when he woke up.

"Haley, I overheard you talking with Vivian yesterday. I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have. Charlie was listening to the game and I didn't really want to hear that, but then I was hearing you and Vivian and I know I should have just went outside or something. I'm so, so sorry, Haley."

Haley sat there stunned. She really wished he hadn't heard that. She didn't want him knowing that she felt like that.

"I just wanted to say that I'm really sorry that Lucas left you here for me and that it's been so hard on you."

"Nathan, I wish to God you'd stop apologizing for everything. Please, just stop. What's done is done. I don't blame you for anything that happened. You needed Lucas and I know what it's like to need him. He didn't know what was going to happen. So what if it's been hard? That's life, right?"

Nathan pulled the car to the side of the road and turned to really look at her. For the first time, he thought she looked cynical and he didn't like it.

"That isn't what your life should be, Haley. You don't deserve it. You stayed in Tree Hill to help Karen and Lily because Luke asked you to. You're selfless and you're kind. You're someone who deserves more than life being that hard."

"I chose this," she said, nearly a whisper.

"I heard you say that to Vivian."

"I don't want to talk about it," she said. There was such finality in her tone, but Nathan couldn't help but feel like Vivian was right. He thought that maybe she really did need to talk about things and start living her life. He wasn't that comfortable with Vivian's implication that there was something beyond he and Haley's relationship than friendship. He was just getting comfortable with them being friends. Anything else was out of the question. Getting that close wouldn't be good.

Nathan knew the real reason that Lucas had stayed away and he would keep that secret for as long as he needed to. He still felt guilty. He knew that Haley felt the sole reason that Lucas stayed in Durham was that Nathan needed his brother. It had been good, because now Lucas and Nathan were brothers. They were closer and Lucas was the first person that Nathan trusted completely.

As much as he had tried to stay away from Haley, he knew she needed help and he wanted to be the one to help her. He scooted closer to her. He saw that her hands were in her lap and they were shaking.

"Haley…"

"I chose this."

"You keep saying that. Why did you choose this? It's hard on you. After your parents died-."

"After they died," she said, raising her voice. "Yes, they died and they weren't supposed to do that. What do you want from me, Nathan?"

"I just, I want to know why you chose this."

"My father loved my mother," she told him. "He loved her so much. Growing up, that's what I wanted. I wanted someone who loved me that much and who I loved that much. He loved her so much that losing her destroyed him. From the moment she died, he began dying. His love for her was so strong that he didn't know how to live without her. I don't know if I could deal with that pain. But I think that love like that is probably worth that pain." She was just speaking. She couldn't stop those words from coming out of her mouth. Mentioning her parents' death made her think about it. She couldn't stop thinking about how much they loved each other.

She saw the look in his eyes and the look made her want to tell him everything. She'd felt unhinged since her conversation with Vivian. Her grief was bubbling at the surface at she wanted to keep it buried deep inside. The way that Nathan was looking at her was making that so difficult.

Nathan knew how ridiculous he was being. He knew that staying away from Haley was the right thing. But she looked so broken and he felt like she needed someone to talk to. He was there and, more importantly, he wanted to be there. He wanted to be the one who she opened up to and he couldn't help feeling that that was so dangerous.

"Why did you choose this, Haley?"

"It's stupid."

"I doubt that."

Tears began falling down her cheeks and Nathan restrained himself from reaching out and wiping them away.

"I can't, Nathan."

"I think you should." His heart broke as her sobs got louder and her body was shaking with her tears. He couldn't help but reach for her and pull her into his arms. He held her close and felt her tears on his shirt. He rubbed his hand down her hair, trying to comfort her. He held her as she cried and he realized that he'd never held anyone so intimately before.

"If I had left… If I didn't keep busy, I think I might go crazy. If I weren't busy then I'd have to stop to think about how hard it is and how much I miss them. I chose this so I wouldn't have to think and so I wouldn't have to hurt."

He held her tighter. His heart was breaking for her. The way she was crying, he wasn't sure it would ever stop.

"People keep telling me that Lucas would have understood if I'd left. I know he would have. I couldn't do that, though. Taking care of Karen and Lily made me feel like I had a purpose. Even if they were taking care of me a lot of the time. If I felt like I was doing something then I didn't have to think about it. They aren't supposed to be gone, Nathan. They should still be here. I'm only nineteen years-old."

"I know, Haley. I know it hurts." He knew that losing a parent could hurt, but not in the same way that Haley did. He wasn't close to his father or his mother. His mother dying had hurt, but he also knew he still felt angry at her. She should have protected him from his father.

Haley continued to sob. She was clutching to Nathan's shirt, holding on for dear life. She always felt safe with him and it wasn't something that she could explain. She still couldn't explain it. She'd been holding these feelings in for a year now. She worked hard to keep them inside and move on with her life. As she held onto Nathan, she knew that she wasn't moving on. She was standing still. It was just like Vivian had said.

Haley pulled back and looked at Nathan. He looked so concerned. He didn't loosen his hold on her and she was glad for it. Now that she knew what it felt like to be held by him she didn't know if she could ever forget it. She studied his face. He was showing more emotion than she had ever seen from him. She looked into his deep blue eyes. It was the first time that she'd really studied his eyes. They were a shade of blue she had never seen before and she wasn't sure she ever would. His lips were slightly parted and she licked her own as she looked at them.

She pulled away from him even though she didn't want to. She looked out at the scenery around them. She looked into the field that seemed to be endless and wiped her tears from her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Nathan." She'd been brought back to reality. She felt embarrassed for having broken down in front of Nathan and showing weakness. She was supposed to be strong.

As if he could read her thoughts, Nathan said, "You don't have to always be strong. You can ask for help and if you need to cry, you can. Don't apologize for being sad that they're gone."

She nodded her head slowly, not wanting to look at him. Even though she had seen concern in his eyes when she looked at him, she was now worried she'd see pity. "I shouldn't have done that."

"I think you needed to," he said quietly. "Your reasons don't matter. No matter what, Lucas is grateful that you stayed for Karen and Lily. I know it."

She forced herself to look at him and was relieved when that same look of concern was there. She wasn't just relieved, but she was also in awe. An unfamiliar feeling spread through her and she felt compelled to speak more. Nathan was proving to be a great listener and a great friend.

"Sometimes, if I do let myself think about it, I get angry at Lucas. I shouldn't. I have no right to."

"What do you mean you get angry?"

"He didn't even come for their funerals. They loved him like a son. He found a job that he loves and he's great at. He got married. He's got this whole big life and I was here. I know I chose it and I know I'm irrational. But it seems like everyone moved on with their lives except me. I got left in Tree Hill and everyone else got to move on."

Nathan thought his heart couldn't break any more for her, but it did. He felt so guilty and wished more than anything that he could tell Haley every tiny detail of what had happened. He would do anything to make her feel better. He didn't even have to think about it. He had been so consumed by revenge, but in that moment what he wanted more than anything else was for Haley to feel better and to be happy.

"You know, not everyone moved on. In fact, I think some of us moved backwards. I'm not good at anything, Haley. I was a lousy jerk before Lucas and I became brothers. The only thing I was good at was baseball. When we went to Durham, I threw myself into the game. That's how I got hurt. Now, it's gone. Now, I have my brother and I'm grateful for it. But, I haven't moved on. I'm not even in the same place that I was. I have nothing. I work for Dan because I don't have a choice. I don't have any other options."

She was shocked. She poured her heart out to him and now he was doing the same. Did he really feel that insecure? She reached for his hands. They were so much larger than hers, but she held them.

"You really think you're not good at anything?"

He looked down at their hands, but didn't answer her. He once again felt that calm that her touch brought.

"I think you've moved on more than anyone else, Nathan."

"I'm a bartender who can't walk two steps without limping, Haley." Something about this conversation made him not even think twice about referencing his limp. He hated that limp.

"You used to be a lousy jerk. You now have a brother who loves you and would drop anything and everything to help you. You cheated on Peyton and now she's your friend. She's even told me that you're a good guy. You're a nice man and a good friend who walks me home from work every single night. You're a great friend who drove me all the way up to Norfolk so I could see my sister. You're a great friend who pulled over on the side of the road just to let me cry.

"You may not be playing baseball anymore, but that doesn't define who you are. In these past two years, you've grown into a wonderful man. So, I think you've grown more than anyone else I know. You've become such a great friend, Nathan."

"Thank you, Haley." He gave her hand a squeeze.

"Thank you, Nathan. Thank you for being my friend." Haley knew, saying that that she loved being his friend. She loved having him be her friend. She leaned in and hugged him. She had her arms wrapped around his neck and she didn't want to let go.

Nathan breathed in. Not only was she beautiful, but she smelled so good. He wasn't sure what it was, but he noticed it the few other times they had hugged.

"We should get back," he said. "Dan won't be happy if we're late for work."

Haley let out a little laugh as Nathan started the car up again. "I don't care much what makes him happy, but I do want to keep my job."

"Do you like it, Haley?"

"The job?"

"Yes. I mean, I watch you up there and you seem like you really enjoy it. I know most everyone thinks you shouldn't be working there and you're too good for it, and you are, but you seem like you really have fun when you're singing. Even the sad songs."

"I guess I do. I don't know, I guess I just like that this is something that's mine. Brooke encouraged me to sing, but I took a chance and found the job. I like that it's something I'm good at. I've always really loved music. When I was a little girl, my father taught me to play the piano. He would get sheet music for all these great jazz songs and we would play together."

"That sounds nice."

"It was." She continued, "If I'm too good to work there then so are you. I know what kind of place Dan's is. I knew its reputation before I went to work there. It's why I didn't tell Lucas that I was doing it, or any of my brothers and sisters."

"Except Vivian."

"Except Vivian. Anyway, I know what that place is. I've seen it. I hear the things some of the men say about me."

Nathan's fist clenched around the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white.

"I know that sometimes they get out of hand. I can handle it. If I can't, I have a really great friend who works there who can help."

"Anytime."

"You know, you shouldn't speak up for Julian like that," she said.

He looked over at her, almost feeling hurt until he saw her smile.

"I'm kidding, Nathan. I meant you. You walk me home, you took care of Damien when he grabbed me. But, the point us, despite that, I really love singing. I love performing and I love when the audience reacts and appreciates it. For a few hours each night, I actually don't mind being in the spotlight. I usually hate that."

"You're humble. You're graceful. You're a great friend, Haley."

"Then I suppose it's a good thing we're friends, isn't it Nathan? And you are too good for that place. Who knows, maybe we'll both get out of there at some point."

He nodded his head. This trip hadn't been what he expected at all. He fully expected to drop Haley off at her sister's house, find somewhere to stay, and then pick her up so they could drive home. Instead, he spent the entire weekend with her. Vivian and Charlie had welcomed him with open arms. They made him feel like he belonged.

He had slept next to Haley. Granted, he was on the floor and she was on the couch. But, he had slept next to Haley and even though he slept on the floor, it was one of the best nights of sleep he had had in a while.

Now, they were driving back and, unexpectedly, they had both opened up to each other. He hadn't expected Haley to break down and cry. He felt that she had probably been holding those feelings in for such a long time that she really needed to do that. He was glad that he was the one to be able to help her. For the first time, he also couldn't bring himself to remind himself of the reasons he had for keeping her away. She was his friend and that was something that he valued. He just wanted to be in her life.

* * *

><p><strong>Notes:<strong> Well, they've made a lot of progress in this chapter. I really hope you liked it. Thanks again for reading and reviewing. :)


	13. My Favorite Time of Day

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Notes:** Well, I hope you enjoy this one. We get a little deeper into the mystery. I'm not great at writing it, so I hope I'm doing it justice. I much prefer writing NH getting closer and closer. If you read _Your Hand In Mine_ and were wondering, I think this story may end up being half the length of that one, if that. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

* * *

><p>"Be careful what you write. Another story like that and it's your job."<p>

Those were the only words said to him after he'd been roughed up. He could taste the blood on his split lip and his ribs hurt from where he'd been kicked. Mouth knew who was responsible for it. Lucas had warned him and he hadn't listened. Journalism was his dream job. Since he was a boy, he had wanted to write stories for a newspaper. He wanted to dig around, find sources, and report the truth. That was what he had done.

He found out from idle gossip that Dan Scott had been involved in illegally acquiring and selling alcoholic beverages during a time when it was illegal. It was one of the main ways in which Dan had been able to amass not only a fortune, but also a great deal of influence and power in Tree Hill. Mouth thought that everyone in Tree Hill needed to know that they'd elected a criminal as their mayor.

The fact that Dan had sent men to hurt him only fueled his determination to make sure that Tree Hill knew who Dan really was. He just knew that he was going to have to be more careful. His next story would have to be carefully planned. He would wait. As he walked home, his body sore from the beating he'd endured, he decided that he should wait and let Dan think that he was safe. In the meantime, he would work on talking to his sources. He would gather as much information and proof as he needed to write a solid story that couldn't be denied.

Dan Scott kept meticulous records of his business dealings. He suspected it and it had been confirmed by a source. Now all that Mouth had to do was find those records himself. That would be extremely difficult. If he hadn't printed that story, he could have more easily gotten access to Dan. He would be a welcome customer in the club or at City Hall. He made things difficult for himself, but he didn't regret printing that story. He didn't want Dan Scott sitting comfortably.

* * *

><p>Brooke and Peyton were quickly approaching the café. Early that morning, Brooke had gone to Peyton and Lucas's house and demanded that Peyton go with her to the café. Peyton had agreed for two reasons. The first reason was that she was very curious about Haley and Nathan. She hadn't seen them since they both returned, but she was sure that Brooke was right and that Nathan had driven Haley to visit her sister. Nathan had left the house before Peyton had woken up. The second reason that Peyton agreed to go with Brooke was that Brooke was never awake and out of bed this earlier unless she'd been forced. She had never been forced. Yet, Brooke was awake and on Peyton's doorstep before Peyton even had the chance to get out of bed and get dressed for the day.<p>

As they walked to the café, Brooke explained that she wanted to get there early to make sure that they really got a chance to talk to Haley. Brooke knew Haley's routine well even though she had never been at the café that early before. What Brooke knew was that Haley was a morning person. Haley had once told Brooke that the early bird catches the worm. Brooke had told Haley that she didn't know what that meant. She did know that Haley woke up early and got straight to work.

Brooke stopped Peyton as they reached the café. Looking inside, they saw Haley was busy. She was working hard preparing the café for opening. Brooke tapped on the door, getting Haley's attention. She noticed that Haley looked confused by her visitors. Yet, Haley opened the door and let them both inside.

"What are you two doing here? I'll get you some coffee. Have a seat," Haley told them.

"We just thought we'd come by to visit and see how your weekend went," Brooke answered. Her tone was a strong indication that she was lying. Haley could hear it.

"It went well. It was nice visiting with Vivian, Charlie, and the baby."

"Really? It was nice visiting with Vivian, Charlie, and the baby. It was nice visiting with those three people?"

Haley poured them each a cup of coffee. "What's going on, Brooke?"

"What do you mean?"

"It means I know you and I can tell you want to say something." Haley stood with one hand on her hip and the pot of coffee in the other hand.

"Okay, fine. So, why didn't you tell me that Nathan was your stalker and that he was walking you home from work every night and that he was driving you all the way to Virginia to see your sister?"

Haley was bewildered. Her hand fell from her hip and she struggled to find an answer. She didn't know how Brooke figured all of that out. She meant what she told Nathan. She wasn't hiding her friendship with Nathan from anyone. She did worry, though, that Nathan would freeze up around other people. She didn't want that. She loved the closeness that they now had.

When he dropped her off the day before, she hugged him and he hugged her back. There was a new closeness ever since her breakdown in the car. It was like they'd reached a new understanding in their relationship. She didn't want that to end. As he walked her home from the club that night, she discovered that there was a new easiness to their friendship. They had even laughed at one point. His laugh was something that she yearned to hear more often. His smile was also something that she wanted to see more often.

"What do you mean?" Haley knew it was a stupid response, but it was the only thing that she could think of.

"Don't play stupid with us," Brooke reprimanded her.

"Well, we were all talking at dinner on Sunday and we got the impression that maybe you and Nathan were a little closer than we thought."

"Closer than we thought? We didn't even think the two of you said more than two words to each other."

"Lucas and I woke up on Sunday morning to find a note from Nathan saying that he needed the car and would be back on Monday," Peyton said.

"Then, Karen told us at dinner that you were in Virginia and wouldn't be back until Monday. Julian may have also mentioned that he thought maybe Nathan was walking you home. Then, I remembered your stalker and I figured that it must have been Nathan."

Haley couldn't really hide anything now and she knew it. "He's my friend," she said.

Brooke nearly jumped out of her chair with excitement. She clapped her hands together and squealed. "I knew it! I want details, Haley James! How did you two become friends?"

Haley disappeared behind the counter and emerged without the coffee pot. She then took a seat at the same table as Brooke and Peyton. She didn't say anything. She knew she would have to speak. They were expecting her to say something.

Brooke was growing impatient. "Well, what's happening, Tutor Girl? He's your stalker, isn't he?"

"He wasn't stalking me, Brooke. He wanted to make sure that I got home safely. So, he started following me home. Then, he started walking me home."

"You know, some nights when I'd be awake and waiting for Lucas, I noticed that Nathan was getting home later than he did when he first started working at the club," Peyton observed. "Now I know what he was up to."

"How did he go from following you home to walking you home?"

"It just happened, Brooke." Haley didn't feel like sharing the conversation they had had with Dr. Durham that night. It seemed so personal. Nathan hadn't spoken much, but she could tell that hearing about Steven Durham had an effect on him. He was just getting comfortable talking to her and she wasn't going to jeopardize that. "He's my friend."

Peyton was always able to maintain her composure better than Brooke and decided to ask a question before Brooke could bombard Haley. "How did you go from being friends to him driving you to see your sister? That's kind of big, Haley."

"I know it was a big deal." Haley did know that and she felt butterflies in her stomach thinking of it. He had offered to do something and he got absolutely nothing out of it. He did it out of kindness and friendship. "We just, we've been talking on our way home from the club. We talk. He's asked about my family and I've told him that I miss them.

"About a week ago, when I spent the night at your house, Peyton, he walked me back here. He was here when I got the phone call that Vivian had her baby. I told him that Charlie and Vivian wanted me to visit. Later on, he offered to drive me. I didn't know that he was going to take the car without asking Lucas. I really didn't, Peyton."

"Oh, that doesn't matter. Lucas doesn't really need it when he's working."

That was the extent of what Haley was going to tell them. They didn't need to know anything else. "We weren't really trying to hide anything," Haley said, knowing it wasn't the complete truth.

Brooke had completely forgotten about her coffee in the excitement. "So, how do you feel about this?"

"What do you mean, Brooke?"

"I mean about being Nathan's friend. I mean, you did not like him in high school. Now you two are friends. Two good looking, unattached friends who could use someone in their lives."

"Brooke," Haley warned.

"What?"

"We're friends. Don't read anything else into it." Haley was telling that to herself as well. After breaking down in front of Nathan she had realized just how easy it was to be open with him. She didn't want to lose that connection and that scared her. What also scared her was that with each day she was becoming more aware of just how handsome Nathan was.

In school, she had noticed it. Every girl noticed how handsome Nathan Scott was. Haley just hadn't liked him then because he was so mean to his brother. She was noticing it now, though. She found him even more handsome now than he had been in school. Something about his features had seemed to mature. She also found herself attracted to how kind he was. He walked her home just because he was concerned and he more than went out of his way so that she could see her family.

She had woken up thinking about him. She had woken up with a smile and a feeling of nervous excitement when she realized that she would be seeing him again later that evening. As much as she enjoyed performing, what she was coming to enjoy the most was her walks home with Nathan. Her feelings for him were exciting, but also scary.

She wouldn't say anymore about Nathan to Brooke and Peyton. She wouldn't do that to Nathan. What they had was between them. Somehow, talking about it seemed like she would be betraying their friendship.

"Brooke, did you wake up early just to ask me about this?" Haley realized that if Brooke was getting curious enough to come to the café at such an early hour that keeping her friend's enthusiasm at bay was going to be difficult. "I love you, Brooke Davis."

"I just want you to be happy, Tutor Girl.

"I just want you to be happy, Tutor Girl. Are you happy, Haley? I mean really happy."

Haley didn't know how to answer. She remembered that Nathan had asked her that same thing not too long ago, but he didn't force her to answer. She knew she couldn't get away with that with Brooke.

"I'm happy, Brooke." As she said the words Haley wasn't sure that she believed them. She had thought about it ever since Nathan asked even though she didn't want to. The answer terrified her and it was something she did not want to face.

"Okay, we'll get out of your way and let you get to work but if you need to talk about anything you know that you can come to me," Brooke said, standing up. "Please come to me. I love talking about other people."

Haley let out a small laugh. "Okay, but I'd much rather talk about Julian. I heard he came to Sunday dinner again."

"He's sweet on Brooke," Peyton said, smiling. "The boy cannot take his eyes off of her. He just needs to gather his courage and ask to take her to dinner or something."

"Maybe I'll have a little talk with Mr. Baker at work this evening," Haley said. She was glad to get the conversation away from her and it was nice talking with her two friends.

"You will do nothing of the sort," Brooke insisted.

"What's the matter, Brooke? Do you not want anyone else getting involved in your love life?" Peyton raised an eyebrow at Brooke, knowing she had the other girl.

"I don't like either of you," Brooke pouted.

"We love you too, Brooke," Haley laughed.

"Well," Peyton stood up, "we'll let you get started with your day, Haley." Brooke walked out of the café and Peyton was right behind her, but stopped. "You know, Haley, Lucas and I got married. We love each other. We've begun a life together. No one would hold it against you if you began living your life."

* * *

><p>Lucas hadn't seen his brother since Saturday morning. What he found out at Sunday dinner didn't sit well with him at all. He was able to leave late for work that day, so now he sat in the kitchen waiting for Nathan to wake up. He'd had over twenty-four hours to think about what he wanted to say to Nathan and he still wasn't sure. He trusted Nathan with so much. The two had grown so much in the past two years and Lucas wouldn't trade that for anything.<p>

Lucas had his reasons for being skeptical about this supposed relationship between his brother and his best friend. Still in Lucas's mind was that Nathan, two years earlier, had cheated on Peyton. Peyton had become friends with Lucas and Haley in the aftermath of her breakup with Nathan. Lucas had seen how bitter and unhappy she had been after that. Remembering how Peyton had been after Nathan betrayed her worried Lucas.

Lucas was also worried about what he and Nathan had come home to Tree Hill to do. They had to be very careful. Peyton was the only one who knew every aspect of their plan and he intended to keep it that way. Secrecy was of the utmost importance. They could not risk what they were doing.

What they were doing was dangerous and Lucas didn't want Haley around that. He hadn't told Haley, but he didn't want her working at Dan's just because of the reputation the club had. He wanted her to stay away from Dan. The man was a murderer and Lucas didn't believe that Haley was safe around him. Lucas wasn't sure that anything good could come of this.

He didn't have to wait long for Nathan to come downstairs. Nathan walked into the kitchen, pulling up his suspenders and yawning. He poured a cup of coffee for himself and sat down next to Lucas. "Morning."

"Morning. So, you took the car."

"Yes. Sorry about that. I needed it."

Lucas decided to cut right to the chase. "How was Virginia?"

Nathan was about to take a sip from his coffee and stopped. "How did you find out?"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Nathan shrugged. He knew Lucas wouldn't like it. He knew that immediately. He didn't want to be stopped from helping Haley, though. "She wanted to see her family."

"I know she loves her family. I would have taken her."

"You work," Nathan pointed out. "Besides, she wouldn't have asked you."

"But she asked you?"

"Not really. I just know she misses them. She deserved to have that. She works hard; she should have a day off."

"And what about walking her home at night? Brooke seems to think you've been doing that too."

Earning Lucas's trust was something Nathan was proud of, so he didn't want to lie. He didn't want to talk about Haley, but he also didn't want to lie to his brother. "It's the middle of the night when we get off of work, Luke. The middle of the night. I know you don't want her working there and I don't either. She shouldn't be around Dan. But we can't stop her. She doesn't know the whole story and… well, we can't stop her. She was walking home by herself in the middle of the night for months. She shouldn't be doing that."

Lucas looked Nathan in the eye. "Do you like her, Nathan?"

Nathan sighed and let his hand rest on his knee. He could feel the disfigurement of his kneecap. "She's my friend," he answered honestly. He couldn't help the fact that his lips turned upward when he said it.

"Nathan, do you like her? I know how you are with girls."

Nathan wanted to remain calm. He didn't want to get angry at his brother, but he couldn't believe what he was hearing. Lucas should know him better than that. "What girls, Lucas? It's been two years since I've seen anyone. There hasn't been anyone since Peyton."

"Nathan…"

"Lucas, no. You know me."

"I'm sorry, Nate. I just worry about her."

"Maybe you should have worried about her more while we were in Durham," Nathan spewed, standing up and leaving the house.

Lucas had hoped to talk to Nathan more, but he didn't get a chance. He wished that Nathan hadn't gotten so upset, but he could understand it. If he was honest with himself, when it came to his concerns about Nathan and Haley, Nathan's past was at the bottom of the list. First and foremost was keeping Haley away from Dan and their plans for Dan. Lucas regretted that he let himself get so worked up. He should have brought up the Dan issue first. Frustrated, Lucas stood and left for work. He would have to try to talk to Nathan later.

* * *

><p>Nathan walked into the club later that night. Chris and Haley were at the piano. Chris was playing and Haley was singing along. Her back was to him and he wasn't going to interrupt her while she was working. He smiled and went to the bar, intending to get to work. He buttoned his vest and was about to step behind the bar when Julian stopped him.<p>

"The boss wants to see you," Julian told him. "I mean, your old man."

Nathan nodded and went to Dan's office. He made sure that his uniform was in order before walking in. He tried to control his limp as he stepped to the door, knocking on it. He knocked once and walked in when he heard Dan's voice.

Dan was standing by the wall to the left of Nathan, adjusting a picture frame to make sure that it was straight. When it was done to his satisfaction, he took a seat behind his desk. Nathan stood there nervously, keeping his distance from Dan's desk. He wondered if his father was trying to mess with him by letting him stand there without saying a word. Nathan decided that he could play too. If Dan was going to stay silent, he would too.

"Stay away from the girl," Dan finally said. He didn't look up from his desk. He kept writing whatever it was he was writing. He didn't look at Nathan.

"Excuse me?" The only girl that Nathan had been around was Haley. How did Dan know about that?

"I have eyes and ears everywhere, Nathan. Stay away from Haley James. She is off limits. My employees do not fraternize."

"Your employees?"

Dan finally looked up. "I know you've never been very smart, son, but you are an employee. Ms. James is an employee. As her employer, it is my job to make sure that she stays… unharmed. Stay away from Ms. James."

Nathan's first instinct was to say what he had said to Lucas earlier in the day, but he didn't. He didn't want Dan knowing about Haley. He would keep that to himself. Dan had spent nearly two years basically ignoring Nathan. Nathan didn't think Dan had any right to tell him what to do and it made him angry hearing Dan trying to do just that.

"I mean it, Nathan," Dan said, his eyes sharp and focused.

Nathan gave a quick nod and tried to conceal his limp as he walked out of Dan's office, closing the door behind him. He had a scowl on his face as he went to work behind the bar, preparing things for the night.

"Can I talk to you, Nathan?" Julian stood next to Nathan with a sheepish look on his face.

"Sure."

"So, at Sunday dinner, I told everyone that I thought you were walking Haley home from work. Lucas seemed a little uneasy about it, I guess. I just wanted to let you know. I don't want to cause any problems for you all. Everyone has been so nice to me."

Nathan nodded. So, that's how Lucas found out about he and Haley. He couldn't blame Julian. He and Haley had never asked anyone to keep their walks a secret. Julian couldn't be blamed for noticing it. They wouldn't have asked him to keep it secret even if they had realized that he had known.

"It's all right, Julian. You don't have to worry about anything."

"I think it's nice that you're walking her home. It's nice she's got someone looking after her," Julian said before returning to work.

Nathan thought about that. So, Dan was acting like he was watching out for Haley. Nathan didn't know what his father's angle was, but he didn't like it. He wanted to find out more. If anything, Dan's interest in Haley made Nathan feel even more protective over her. He wanted to keep her away from Dan and that would be more difficult if Dan was interested in her. His interest in her also made it more important for Nathan to keep her away from him. He couldn't explain it, but the need he felt to protect Haley was so strong.

Julian understood it. For some reason, Julian got it. Nathan was looking out for Haley. He didn't blame Julian at all for Lucas being upset with him. Julian didn't owe them anything. They didn't owe Julian anything. Yet, knowing that Julian realized that Nathan was looking out for Haley made Nathan feel that much more right about what he was doing.

Of course, the more time he spent with his friend Haley the more he was beginning to understand that this was going on beyond just wanting to protect her. He wanted to spend time with her. He wanted her in his life. His life was better with her in it. That thought scared him. It meant he was dependent on her and was at risk for being vulnerable. As much as that made him uneasy, the need to be near her was too great.

Nathan felt his agitation over what Dan had said and his confrontation with Lucas wash away as he watched her rehearse with Chris. She was so natural in everything she did. She was captivating. She wasn't even fully dressed to go on stage and she would still be the most beautiful woman to ever set foot in that club. He was sure of it. As he watched her perform that night, all of his worries just melted away.

* * *

><p>It was Saturday night and Nathan still hadn't had the chance to really speak to Lucas about what was going on with Haley. He didn't plan on going into detail, but he knew they needed to talk and clear the air. They were brothers now and that's what brothers did. They simply hadn't had the chance to speak. They were both so busy.<p>

Nathan was sleeping in mornings. After he dropped Haley off every night, he'd had places to be before he could go back to the house. Lucas and Peyton both knew what he was doing and both understood it. Lucas understood it better than anyone. By the time Nathan got home, he was exhausted. He collapsed onto his bed and slept well into the morning. By the time he woke up, his brother had gone to work.

He and Julian waited at the door of the club for Haley. Now that Julian knew about Haley and Nathan walking home together, he waited behind with them to lock up the club and wish them a good night. The two men stood at the door waiting for Haley as she came from her dressing room, rushing to meet them so that they could go home.

"Sorry," she said.

"It isn't a problem, Haley," Julian smiled. They walked outside and Julian locked the door behind them. He told them goodnight and walked off toward his own home.

As always, Nathan kept his hands in his pockets as they walked. Haley looked at him. His profile was so strong and he looked like he was thinking about something. On instinct, she moved her arm and linked it through his. She didn't say anything about it and she didn't acknowledge it. They both just kept walking. They kept walking even though when the bare skin of her arm brushed against the bare skin of his arm they both felt a spark. Nathan's mouth went dry and he took a deep breath. He cleared his throat.

"Is that the dress you wore tonight?"

"A Brooke Davis original."

"You looked beautiful."

"Brooke designs beautiful gowns."

"I wasn't talking about the gown," he whispered.

She had heard him and she tried to keep her heartbeat calm, but it was futile. Her heart was hammering. He has just told her that she was beautiful.

"What's been bothering you this week, Nathan?"

She could tell? Of course she could tell. He knew that after months of walking her home. She could read his moods so easily. He didn't want to ever lie to her, so he spoke, "Earlier this week, my dad called me into his office. He told me to stay away from you. He said that employees don't fraternize. Whatever that means."

Haley felt worry in the pit of her stomach. "Are you going to listen to him?" He had walked her home every night, just as he always did. But he had been different that week. He had been a little distant. She had worried that he was backing away after she broke down in the car on their way back from visiting Vivian. Maybe he was just walking her home now to be polite and not because he liked being with her. But hadn't he just told her that he thought she was beautiful? Haley didn't know what to think.

"I stopped listening to Dan Scott over two years ago, Haley."

Haley felt the relief all the way down to her toes. She felt happy hearing him say that. Since they returned from Virginia, she knew just how much she looked forward to her time with Nathan. She licked her lips and debated whether or not she should speak.

"Brooke and Peyton asked me about you driving me to Virginia and walking me home."

"You said that."

"Brooke asked me if I was happy," Haley continued.

Nathan kept walking, unsure of what to say. What he was sure of was that he liked walking arm in arm with her. He felt the heat radiating off of his skin. Or maybe it was her skin. He knew it wasn't from the late summer heat. He was sure of that.

"You asked me a while ago if I was happy. You didn't make me answer you."

"I remember," he said, looking at her. It was pitch dark out except for the lights from people's houses they passed and the streetlights. Even in the darkness, he could see that she was having trouble saying whatever it was that she was about to say.

"You don't have to answer, Haley. It's none of my business, really."

"I feel like it is," she told him, her voice barely audible. She stopped them both, their arms still linked. "I'm happy right now. I'm happy in my time with you. My favorite part of my day is this." She took in a deep breath, hardly believing she had actually said that to him. She tugged on his arm and began walking again. She didn't want to let go of him. "You don't have to say anything."

He didn't. He wasn't sure what to say. Her confession had him stunned into silence. No one had ever told him that he made them happy. He'd never been responsible for that before. He felt bad for leaving her hanging and not saying a word. He wished that he could find the right words, but words were never his strong suit. He didn't want to say the wrong thing and end up ruining what they had. He didn't want to drive her away. The thought of driving her away scared him more than saying the wrong thing. Saying the wrong thing could also drive her away. He'd never felt more unsure.

He stayed quiet for the rest of their walk, but he didn't let go of her. He still felt her soft skin against his and it took so much of him not to close his eyes and stop, just so that he could keep that feeling a little bit longer.

They stopped at the door of the café and to the disappointment of both of them, she removed her arm from his so that she could unlock the door. They stood in the doorway and she looked up when she felt drops of water hitting her face. It had begun to rain. She quickly got on her tip toes and wrapped her arms around his neck. They hugged more often since returning from Virginia. The act wasn't foreign, it wasn't uncomfortable, and it certainly wasn't unwelcome.

"Goodnight, Nathan," she said, her lips near his ear and her voice sending shivers throughout his body. "I'll see you tomorrow." They didn't work on Sundays, but she knew she would see him at the cemetery. They now saw each other there every week. That meant that they were seeing each other every day of the week.

Haley tried to pull herself away from him, but his arms stayed around her waist, holding her to him. He wasn't ready to let go. He did finally pull back after a few moments, but he kept his hands around her midsection. He looked at her. She took his breath away. He made her happy, she had said. She made him happy. She made him forget all about thoughts of revenge and hatred. Those thoughts had consumed him for two years, but she came into his life and changed that. She made him want more than that.

Haley wasn't sure what Nathan was doing, but she liked it. He wasn't letting go of her and she didn't want him to. Rain water was running down both of their faces. It was getting in her eyes as she looked up at him. A bit was falling from the brim of his soaked hat. She licked her lips as she looked into his blue eyes. Her heart was hammering in her chest and butterflies were fluttering in her stomach like never before.

"This is my favorite time of day too," he said. Before he could lose what little courage he had, he ducked and brought his lips to hers. Her lips were soft, just like her skin. He kept them still over hers, just feeling her. The kiss was brief and it was chaste, but when he pulled away, he noticed that her eyes were closed and she was breathing heavily.

It took Haley a few moments to notice that he'd pulled away, but once she did notice, she knew that she missed the warmth of his lips on hers.

"You kissed me," she said, knowing how stupid it sounded. She noticed how nervous he looked when he nodded his head, confirming what had just happened. She brought her hand to his face, letting her thumb trace over his lower lip. He closed his eyes and she knew what she wanted to do next. She removed her finger, keeping her hand on his face, and she kissed him.

The shock of Haley kissing him wore off quickly. Instead of keeping his lips still like last time, Nathan moved his lips over hers softly. He felt her react. Her lips moved against his. They kissed for several moments. Neither wanted to be the first one to break away. He kept his hands on her waist, but held onto her tighter. She had one arm around his neck with her other hand still on his face. They were getting soaked.

Finally, they did pull away. They each noticed that they were both smiling. They also both noticed that they'd never seen the other with a smile so big before. Knowing that they were responsible for it brought a flurry of emotions and, most of all, it brought happiness. He leaned in to kiss her again, knowing that she wouldn't mind. She didn't and they both were still smiling when he pulled away.

"So, I guess you aren't staying away from me," she said, not able to erase the smile from her face. He laughed and shook his head.

"No. I'm not. Not unless you want me to."

"No, definitely not."

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> So, they kiss now. I hope I did it justice. I enjoyed writing it. Also, I know Lucas is a jerk, but some stuff will be revealed later that will help explain it.


	14. Never Is a Long Time

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Note:** Enjoy! None of the mystery in this one, but it'll show up in the next chapter. There are a few little hints in this one, though.

* * *

><p>Nathan woke up with a smile on his face and one thought on his mind. He hadn't expected the events of the previous night at all, but he was so glad for them. He could hear the rain falling outside. It hadn't stopped since the night before. From now on, Nathan would never be bothered by the rain again. After a few more kisses, he and Haley had said goodnight. He told her to get out of the rain before she got sick. She kissed him again before going inside.<p>

The smile still didn't leave Nathan's face as he washed up and got dressed for the day. For the first time, he was actually looking forward to going to the cemetery. He would get to see Haley there. A part of him felt guilty for thinking of the cemetery as somewhere other than a place to pay his respects to his mother, but he couldn't help it. He again noticed the rain outside and frowned. If it was raining, maybe Haley wouldn't go there today. He would go even if she wasn't there. He still wanted to visit his mother. He tried to bury the disappointment he felt at the possibility of not seeing Haley.

If he was capable of skipping downstairs, Nathan wouldn't have been surprised if he'd done just that. He had acknowledged that Haley made him happy and that she was more to him than just his friend. He knew that since the beginning she had been so much more than that. As he was walking home the night before, he started believing that his feelings for her began back in high school. He was always defensive about her to his friends and he was beginning to believe that part of the reason was because he was attracted to this beautiful girl who was so kind. Even though he know knew she was more than his friend, he still didn't know what exactly they were to each other. They hadn't gotten that far that night.

He smiled at Lucas, who he found sitting at the kitchen table with the newspaper in his hands. Peyton was sitting with him, eating her breakfast while reading a book.

"You're chipper this morning," Peyton observed.

"What do you mean?"

"You normally come down here with either a scowl or either a completely blank expression. I think this is the first morning I've ever seen you smile," she explained.

He shrugged. "It's a nice day."

"It's been pouring down rain since late last night," Lucas pointed out. "Did you-."

"I did. Everything's fine."

"Good. Thanks for taking care of that this week. I'll try to do it more often."

"I really don't mind it, Lucas. Really, I'm glad I can help."

Lucas watched Nathan as he poured himself a cup of coffee and sat with them, taking a slice of toast from the plate in the center of the table.

"Nathan, I know we haven't had the chance to talk, but I want to apologize to you for what happened earlier this week. I know you're not the same person you were in school. Peyton knows it; we all know it.

"I'm just worried about Haley. We can't keep her away from Dan completely. I've accepted that. But still, we know how dangerous he is and what we're doing could be dangerous. If he catches us… I just don't want Haley caught in the middle."

Nathan nodded his head and swallowed the bite of toast in his mouth. "I've needed to talk to you, actually. I think she might be more in the middle than we know. I don't know, maybe I'm reading too much into it."

"What's going on?"

"Earlier this week, Dan called me into his office."

"What? Did you notice anything suspicious?"

Nathan shook his head. "Not unless you count him decorating suspicious. When I walked in there he was adjusting a painting on the wall. He, um, he found out that I was walking Haley home."

"How?"

"I don't know. He just said that he had eyes and ears everywhere. He told me to stay away from her. Something about employees fraternizing together. I don't know. He just seemed, well, I'm sure he's never said that to any other employee. And one night, Damien West got a little too hands-on and Dan told him if he did it again that he wouldn't be allowed back in."

"So, Dan seems interested in Haley. Why?" Lucas folded his paper.

"I'm going to keep walking her home Lucas. I meant what I said. She's my friend. I know it's dangerous being around us and I don't want anything happening to her. That's the last thing I want. But, if Dan is interested in her in some way, it's better if one of us is around her, right? And besides, we're friends. I won't let anything happen to her."

"You might be right about keeping an eye on her. Thanks, Nate. You know, she's like a little sister to me."

"I know that."

"If Dan says that he has eyes and ears everywhere, you two might want to be more careful when you go to the docks," Peyton chimed in.

"I think we're both careful," Lucas said. "But you're right. It wouldn't hurt to take a few extra precautions when we're down there."

"What are your plans today, brother-in-law? Why don't you join us for dinner with everyone tonight?"

If he went to dinner, he would get more time with Haley. At the same time, he still didn't really want to share what they had with others. He wasn't even sure what they had. "I don't think so, Peyton. Thank you for inviting me, though." Excusing himself, he stood up and left the room.

* * *

><p>That afternoon, as always, Haley was walking through the cemetery. In one hand, she had a small bouquet of flowers and in the other she held an umbrella over her head. The rain was now more of a mist than a downpour. The butterflies in her stomach that had been a constant presence in recent weeks were still there. She knew there was a chance that she would be seeing Nathan there at the cemetery. She knew it was possible that the rain would keep him away, but she hoped that it wouldn't.<p>

She approached her parents plot, standing on the wet grass. After setting the flowers against their headstone, she straightened herself out and huddled under her umbrella as it began to rain a little bit harder.

"Well, you were right about Nathan, mom. I don't quite know what exactly made him act the way he did toward Lucas, but I have a pretty good idea. We've become close. I've been telling Peyton and Brooke that we're friends, but we're not just friends. There's more going on."

Haley spoke to her parents a little more. Giving them updates about her life always made Haley feel better. She felt, on some level, that they were still there with her. As she turned to leave, she noticed Nathan standing a few feet behind her with his hands in his pockets. She instantly smiled. Her smile matched the one on his face.

She approached him, the smile not leaving her face. "If you walk with me, we can share the umbrella," she suggested.

"I'd like that." He took the umbrella and held it over both of them. They were huddled closely together so that both would be underneath it. They could each feel the close proximity and they both felt the heat radiating off of each other. Nathan resisted the urge to offer her his arm.

"So… last night," Haley began.

"Yes. Last night," Nathan was still smiling. "I don't regret it," he added, wanting to reassure her. He wasn't sure why he felt the need to reassure her, but he wanted her to know that he didn't regret what had happened the night before.

"Neither do I," she admitted. "I don't normally go around kissing men." When she had woken up, she had been happy remembering the night before. She remembered the feel of Nathan's lips on hers and she had smiled and felt warm. She couldn't help that nagging feeling in the back of her mind, though. She wondered what it had meant.

She was sincere when she told Brooke and Peyton that she and Nathan were friends. She knew that what had been happening between the two was something more than just friendship. They were growing closer and closer and the attraction had been growing, at least on her part.

She wanted to give Nathan the benefit of the doubt. Since they had become friends, he had never once given her a reason to doubt him. She still wondered what their kisses had meant. They had said that they made each other happy. She found hope in that.

"I don't either," Nathan joked.

"Nathan, I mean-."

"I know what you mean," he interrupted her. "We should talk, don't you think? Do you have time?"

Haley knew she needed to get to Karen's for dinner, but at the moment she wanted to have this conversation more. She nodded her head. He moved the umbrella to his other hand, awkwardly holding it over the two of them so that his left hand could hold onto hers. He hoped that with this she would realize his sincerity. As his fingers laced together with hers, they each felt a spark of warmth. Haley didn't want to let go of his hand.

The cemetery wasn't far from the Cape Fear River and Nathan led them to a boat house by the river. They took shelter underneath the wooden roof. Drops of water were still coming down, but it was an improvement on the rain. Nathan indicated to a bench along the wall and Haley took a seat.

"Last night," Haley began. Before she could continue, Nathan's lips were on hers. He held onto her hand as his lips moved against hers. Haley knew that they needed to speak, but she couldn't think as he was kissing her. After the shock of him kissing her wore off, she succumbed and closed her eyes, kissing him back.

When he pulled away from her, he was smiling. "I've been wanting to do that again since last night."

Haley was smiling, but she was also biting down on her lip. "I don't go around kissing people, Haley. I know in school that I did. I had a reputation and a lot of it was earned. I don't do that anymore. I've learned my lesson. I haven't… well, not since Peyton.

"There was this girl in Durham, Gigi. We talked and my Uncle Cooper and Peyton both said I should get out and see some girls. I tried to, but nothing happened. It just didn't feel right." He looked so nervous as he waited for her to say something.

"And this? How does this feel?"

He breathed in and looked into those beautiful brown eyes of hers. He still hadn't let go of her hand and he leaned in closer to her. "It feels right. It feels more right than anything has felt in a long time."

Tentatively, Haley brought her free hand to Nathan's cheek. The palm of her hand lightly cupped his cheek, feeling the ever so slight prickle of stubble on his face. She watched him as his eyes closed at her touch.

"I haven't… what I mean to say," she stammered, "is that this is all so new."

His eyes slowly opened and he covered her hand that was on his cheek with his own, giving it a slight squeeze. "It's new for me too," he whispered.

She raised an eyebrow and smiled. She knew that he had gone around with girls before he left Tree Hill. Peyton was one of the few steady girlfriends, but everyone knew that girls liked Nathan Scott. She trusted him when he told her that there hadn't been anyone since Peyton. He seemed eager to assure her and she had to trust him. She still wanted to make things clear to him.

"I don't go around kissing men, Nathan. I was serious when I said that. It's not something that I do casually. It means something."

He nodded. He still hadn't let go of her hand. He was about to speak when she continued.

"You don't let people in, do you? I've noticed that. You're nice to people at work, but you don't really spend time with them. You've really only gotten close to me and for some reason, you tried not to do that. You were rude when we first met and then instead of walking me home, at first you followed me. It was like you didn't want me to know that you cared.

"But you do care. For some reason, you let me in. So, if you haven't been with any girl since Peyton, I'm guessing that this means that our kisses meant something to you too."

"They did," he spoke quickly. "They did, Haley." He moved so that he was leaning in even closer than he was before. His face was mere inches from her own. He could feel the softness of her breath on his skin. "These past two years haven't been easy."

"No. They haven't," she agreed.

"This feels better, Haley." He leaned back and removed his hat, running his hands through his hair. "I'm not good at talking. I don't know if I say the right things. I haven't done much talking at all in the past two years except with Lucas and Peyton. Even then, I haven't said much. I don't want to say the wrong thing.

"But with everything in the past two years, even though I tried not to get close to you, being around you has been the best thing. It's felt better than anything else in that time. And even before that. I just… I just want you to feel that too."

She nodded and closed the distance between the two of them. Placing both hands on the sides of his face, she kissed him. She savored the taste of him as they kissed for several seconds. His hands made their way to her wrists where he gently wrapped his fingers around her wrists. Their kisses were slow and gentle. Neither seemed interested in separating.

Nathan took one hand from around her wrist and held her waist, his grip tight. He used his hold on her waist to bring her closer to him. There wasn't even an inch between the two. As their kisses became more heated, Haley felt a fog cloud her mind. She allowed her lips to part ever so slightly and felt Nathan do the same. She felt him smile against her lips. The only sounds they could hear were the rain outside the boathouse and their own breathing. Needing to breath, she pulled away, but she did so reluctantly. She gently touched his lips with her fingers and smiled at him.

"I suppose this means I'm your girl?"

Nathan's smile widened. After a few seconds, his smile faltered. "I want that, but I really don't know how to do that, Hales."

She couldn't help the feeling of warmth that spread over her when he called her by her nickname. It was just an example of the closeness the two of them shared.

"You're really not going to do what your dad said? You're not going to stay away?"

"Of course not, Haley. Never."

"Never is a long time, Nathan." She reached for his hand. "I don't want to hide this. I don't want to feel like we're sneaking around. The people in our lives, they know that we've become friends. But, it's always been just the two of us. It's been nice getting to know each other like that. But, if we're going to do this and be a couple, then I want us to be a part of each other's lives. All of it. You know?"

He nodded his head. He understood that. It had been nice, just spending time with her and her alone. But, if this meant that he could walk through the streets of Tree Hill with Haley James on his arm then so be it.

"I kind of wish that I could keep you all to myself," she admitted. "But we aren't the only two people in the world. There are people we care about and who care about us."

He nodded. "I don't want to hide you. Us."

"Good," she smiled. Even though they were already holding hands, she brought her other hand and covered his as completely as she could. "I'm supposed to be at Karen's for dinner. They're probably wondering where I am."

"I'm sorry, Haley. I didn't know you had somewhere to be."

"Nathan, I wanted to be here and I wanted to talk to you. I've wanted that since I woke up this morning."

"I've been thinking about you since I woke up," he confessed. "I feel a little guilty for thinking of you being at the cemetery when we were there to visit my mom and your parents."

"You know, I don't think they'd mind, Nathan. I know my parents wouldn't. And I know that I only met your mother once, but I know that she only wanted the best for you." She took a deep breath. "That night, when I was sitting with you in Karen's living room, you didn't say much. You did tell me that you didn't want to be him. She wanted that same thing for you. You aren't him. You're a good, decent, generous man. I don't think she'd mind at all."

"I think she'd want me to have something to look forward to. That's how I've felt about our walks to the café every night. It's something that I look forward to."

She bit her lip. He now knew her well enough to know that that meant.

"What's on your mind?"

"I would like you to come to dinner with me tonight. I know that Lucas and Peyton have been trying to get you to come since you all came back. It's been two months. I understand if you don't want to. Don't feel like you have to say yes."

Nathan could see that she looked nervous. He hadn't been around a group of people since they came back. The last group he had been around was the team back at Duke. Even then, they didn't know him. The people at Karen's house, they were family. He found it a little uneasy being around people like that. The truth was he hadn't really even tried. The thought made him a little anxious. But, he looked at Haley and he knew what his answer would be.

"I'll come," he said simply. Going and being around people would be worth it. He knew that seeing her whole face light up when he agreed to come.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure, Haley. We should get going before they wonder where you are." He stood and offered his arm to her. She gladly took it. When they stepped out of the boathouse, it was still raining. Awkwardly, he held the umbrella over them.

Before they reached the city streets, away from the river, Nathan bent his head and quickly kissed her. He kissed her because it felt right. She was now his girl. She had said so herself. So, he kissed her and she kissed him back. Neither stopped smiling the entire rainy walk to Karen's house.

They walked quickly, both because they were late and because it was raining. When they reached Karen's house, they stepped under the covered porch. Haley leaned the umbrella with the rest of them.

"Thank you for being here," she said, standing on tip toe to lightly kiss him. She grabbed his hand. Once again, their fingers were laced together. Walking in they could hear everyone talking and they could smell the delicious meal that Karen had cooked.

Haley looked back at Nathan and noticed that he was a little tense. She tightened her hold on his hand and kept smiling at him as she led him into the living room. Everyone was sitting there waiting for her.

"I'm sorry we're late," she excused them.

"It's no trouble," Karen greeted them, her smile was enthusiastic.

Haley quickly looked at Brooke and Peyton. They both looked surprised, but Haley could easily see that a large part of Brooke wanted to jump out of her skin with excitement.

"Lucas," Karen called her son, "please, set another place at the table."

Lucas stood up and left the room, doing as his mother asked.

"You weren't waiting for us, were you?" Haley didn't want to inconvenience them.

"Of course we waited, Haley. It's no trouble, so don't act like it was," Karen said, knowing that Haley would continue making apologies. "Nathan, I'm so glad you're joining us tonight." She could see that he was uneasy. It was then that she noticed that he and Haley were holding hands. Nathan was staying very close to Haley and it appeared to Karen that he was using her as a lifeline.

They were soon seated around the dining room table. Haley had immediately brought Nathan to sit in the chair next to her own and he gave her a smile of gratitude as they sat. He finally let go of their hands as they said grace. They began making small talk as everyone began passing around food.

"Nathan, how have you been?" Karen was so glad that he had finally come to dinner. She knew that Haley was responsible for getting him there.

Nathan looked at Haley before responding. "I'm doing really good." This was the first time in two years he hadn't told someone that he was fine when they asked. After the events of the past twenty-four hours, he really was feeling good.

"I take it you've been keeping busy at the club then," Karen inquired.

"Yes, ma'am. Dan put me to work tending bar."

"He took to bartending real quick," Julian commented. "You'd almost think he'd been doin' it his whole life."

"I don't know about that," Nathan brushed off the compliment. "It's just a job."

"Well, I'll tell you what I told Haley when she began working there," Karen said. "Be careful. I know that Dan is your father and you're a grown man who can take care of himself. It still isn't much of a place for decent people like you and Haley."

"Yes, ma'am," he answered. Karen didn't know him well, but it felt gratifying to know that she didn't want either he or Haley working there. It was nice feeling valued by an adult. He felt like he was being looked after. The last adult who had made him feel that was Ida.

Brooke was studying Nathan and Haley. She had visited the club and had seen them while both were working. This was the first time she really saw them as Nathan and Haley. She was struck by how considerate they were with each other. Even more, she was struck by how close they seemed. She couldn't fully explain it, but watching the two of them together she could plainly see it. They looked comfortable and happy. It was the happiest Brooke had seen Haley in years. Knowing that she didn't have anything to do with their relationship, Brooke still felt a sense of accomplishment because she could see that she had been right about the two of them. "So, where were you two? It isn't like you to be late, Tutor Girl."

"We were at the cemetery," Nathan answered. He wasn't sure how much Haley wanted to share, but they could at least share that.

"We got to talking and lost track of time," Haley added. She knew that every single person at the table except for maybe Julian and Lily had questions that they wanted to ask. She knew they wouldn't ask yet, though. They wouldn't do that in such a large group of people.

As the meal continued, she noticed that Nathan got more comfortable. He didn't contribute much to the conversation, but when he was asked questions, he answered freely and without hesitation. He wasn't the same way with them that he was with her. She knew deep down that he never would be. But she was glad that he was more comfortable.

Nathan realized that, sitting next to Haley, it wasn't so bad being around people. He had Haley sitting on one side and on the other side was Lily. She would smile at him and at one point while the others were talking, she tugged on his sleeve. He smiled down at her and she smiled. "You don't look sad anymore," she whisper yelled. Nathan looked around to see if anyone had noticed, but they didn't seem to. He leaned in closer to her, he whispered to her, "I don't feel sad with Haley." Lily nodded and laughed before picking at the beans on her plate.

They didn't stay at Karen's late. Sunday night was the only night when either got a full night of sleep. Every other night of the week, they got in after midnight after working at the café. Nathan sympathized with Haley. He would, most mornings, get to sleep in. He knew that she woke up bright and early to get the café ready. He wished that he could help her with that. He didn't like that she worked so hard.

They were standing at the front door of the café just as they did every night. Instead of holding only one hand with the other, they were holding both hands. Haley found that even though his hands were rough and calloused, she liked the feel of them. The spark they had felt the night before hadn't diminished one bit.

"Hales, can I ask you something?"

Haley thought he looked so cute because he was clearly nervous about something. "Of course."

"I don't really know what time you stop working at the café, but I was wondering if maybe before work at the club if maybe you might want to have some dinner with me? I could come by here to pick you up. I would like to take you out."

Still holding hands, Haley leaned forward and kissed him. "I would like that very much, Nathan. I usually have an early dinner because of work. What do you say you come around here at five?"

"I'll see you tomorrow at five, then." This time, it was his turn to lean forward and kiss her. His lips parted, just as hers had earlier in the boat house. He didn't take things further. He wasn't going to push her. "Haley, I want you to know something. I won't hurt you like I hurt Peyton. I promise."

"I know you won't, Nathan. I trust you."

After a few more kisses, they said goodnight and Nathan, as he did every night, waited for her to be safely locked in the café before heading back to Lucas and Peyton's. He wondered if they would be around to question him, but then remembered that Lucas would be down at the docks tonight. Peyton would be awake, but he knew that she wouldn't push. In fact, when he got home, the two of them sat listening to the radio and she didn't say a word. He noticed that occasionally, she would give him a knowing smile, but she didn't push. The only thing she said to him was before she headed upstairs to bed. She told him, "Be happy, Nathan."

* * *

><p>As Haley came downstairs the next morning, yawning, she was surprised to find that all of the chairs had been lowered and that coffee was being brewed. She could smell it and the aroma was doing a good job of waking her up. Confused, she looked around the café and didn't see anyone. Hearing noises from the kitchen, she went to investigate. She found Karen going through some of the inventory.<p>

"Good morning. What are you doing here so early?"

"I thought I'd give you a break," Karen explained. "I thought you could use the rest. You can go up and get some more sleep if you'd like, Haley."

"No, no. I'm awake. What's left to do?"

"Nothing. I have it handled, Haley."

"Karen…"

"Haley James, I was doing this for years before you began working here."

"I know, but-."

"But nothing. Have a seat. We'll have breakfast together."

Haley nodded and sat down at the little table in the corner of the kitchen. Even though she knew Karen was more than capable of opening her own café, she still felt a little guilty.

"Where is Lily?" Haley took a bite of her oatmeal.

"She's with Brooke. She's fine. Haley, one of the reasons I'm here so early is because I wanted to talk to you."

"About what?"

"Well," Karen set her spoon down and stood up straight, "I wanted to talk to you about Nathan." Karen looked at the girl she thought of as a daughter. Haley couldn't help smiling when Nathan's name was mentioned, but Karen also saw that Haley looked a little nervous. "Last night, you came into my house and the two of you were holding hands. You didn't leave each other's side all throughout dinner. Now, I know that you've mentioned that the two of you are friends. I also know that Nathan is the one who drove you to Virginia to visit Vivian. This was after I found the two of you in the café bright and early one morning."

"He walked me home," Haley quickly said, not wanting Karen to think that anything had happened that shouldn't. "I spent the night at Peyton and Lucas's. When I woke up, Nathan walked me here. So, I invited him in for coffee."

"I know that, Haley. I knew that when you explained it. I trust you not to do anything that you shouldn't. Now, you and Nathan aren't just friends, are you?"

Haley bit her lip and shook her head. She should be having this conversation with her mother, but that wasn't possible. Karen was the next best thing. They had had a mother daughter relationship even before Lydia died. Haley was comfortable with Karen. "We're more than friends."

"How long has this been going on?"

"Since the night before last. We were walking back here and, well… we aren't just friends anymore."

"And he feels for you the same way you feel for him?"

Haley nodded her head, smiling.

"How did you go from being friends to more?"

"We just were walking together and we've been doing that every night for a while now. We've gotten to know each other. I know that he doesn't say much when he's around people, but he talks to me. We talk, Karen, and he lets me in."

"You know, Haley, when I was your age I was in a relationship. I was young and I was in love. I just want you to be careful."

Love? Haley panicked at the thought. It was too soon. Nathan had only been back in Tree Hill for just over two months. They hadn't been friends for that long and this new aspect of their relationship was less than two days old. Love wasn't something that Haley considered. Other than Karen mentioning love, Haley also felt herself feeling protective over Nathan. Karen was insinuating that their relationship could follow a similar course of Karen and Dan's.

"He isn't his father, Karen. That's the last thing he wants to be. He's a good, kind man."

"Oh, I know that, sweetie. I think we all know that there was once a time when Nathan could have become his father. He isn't that man, though. I was watching the two of you last night. The closeness between you two was remarkable. No, I know that Nathan isn't his father. I still want you to be careful. And if you need anything, Haley, anything, you come and talk to me."

"I will."

"Now, I have to say, this is the happiest that I've seen you in years, Haley. It's nice to see. I am happy for you."

"Karen, can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Do you think Lucas will be all right with this?"

Karen let out a small laugh. Haley cared so much for what her best friend thought. She was always considering the feelings of others, mostly before she considered her own feelings.

"I think that Lucas will be fine. I also think that you need to worry more about your own happiness. It's time, Haley. You've grieved and worked and set your life aside long enough. I may have warned you to be careful, but do you know what I felt seeing you and Nathan together last night?"

Haley shook her head.

"I felt happy. I felt relieved. The two of you have both been through so much. You've lost so much. It's time for both of you to have something wonderful. I think you're both a little broken."

"Karen…"

"Haley, I think you're both a little broken. It's understandable. But it's not something that can't be fixed. Judging from the smile on your face when I first mentioned Nathan's name, I would say that it's already being fixed. You deserve to live a life that makes you happy, Haley. Ultimately, that's what Lucas wants for you."

"Thank you, Karen." Haley felt a lump in her throat. She kept thinking that this was something she should be discussing with her mother. She talked to Lydia and Jimmy at the cemetery, but it was a one sided conversation. Now, she was getting motherly advice and encouragement. She couldn't help feeling that although Lucas asked her to stay and help Karen, Karen was the one who was really helping her.

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> Dan isn't going to like this turn of events. ;) Thank you for reading and reviewing!


	15. Just As Much As You Do

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Notes:** I did not expect to get this chapter up this quickly. I hope I can write the next one quickly. We'll have some big reveals coming up soon. I hope you enjoy this. Also, just for clarification, the time that the story is now in is late August of 1941.

* * *

><p>Karen and Haley had talked some more before opening the café. It was nice. The two hadn't had much chance to just sit and talk to each other in a long time. They talked a little about Lucas and they talked a little more about Nathan. Haley had happily shared that she and Nathan would be having dinner that evening. Karen had even insisted that Haley end her shift at the café earlier than usual so that she could have more time to prepare.<p>

The hours were passing far too slowly for Haley's liking. There were plenty of customers at the café to keep her busy, but still the hours crawled by. As each of those hours went by, she felt the butterflies in her stomach increasing. They were a constant presence, it seemed.

"Haley," Karen said when Haley went into the kitchen, "when you finish with that customer, you can go on upstairs to get ready."

"Thank you, Karen." Haley didn't like taking time off to get ready, but she was too excited. She figured she could do it just this once. Karen was really giving her an easy day of work between opening the café herself and now letting Haley go early.

Ordinarily, when Haley got ready for working at the club, she wore more makeup than she usually did throughout the day. She wasn't quite sure how to do her makeup. She hadn't been on a date in such a long time. She settled on light makeup. It was a little less than she wore at the club, but her appearance at the club was all for show. It wasn't who the real Haley James was. She wanted to be herself for her date with Nathan.

As she was putting makeup on and doing her hair she kept thinking about what Karen had said to her. She mentioned that she was in love when she was a young girl. She hadn't said that Haley and Nathan were in love, but Haley felt like she was implying it. She wasn't sure what to think about that. Nathan was her friend. Now he was her boyfriend. She cared for him very much. She hadn't realized that she could come to care for someone so quickly.

Not only did she care for him, but he was present throughout her life even when he wasn't physically there. She thought of him constantly. Their walks home really were the best part of her day and they were something she genuinely looked forward to. She hadn't felt as happy as she did then in such a long time. After being without that feeling for so long, having it now was like an addiction. He was like an addiction.

As they hugged the night before when he dropped her off, she had lingered, letting her arms stay wrapped around his neck a little longer than she would have a week earlier. She was allowed to do that now. She was his girl and he was her guy. The way his arms felt around her was something that she had gotten used to quickly. It was like they had always been around her. His arms were strong and she felt so secure.

She let her mind wander and she remembered the day she had seen him in his undershirt, his arms visible. He had muscles and now she knew what it felt like to be held by those arms. When they had kissed goodnight, she couldn't resist resting her hands on his upper arms. They were so strong and solid.

Before Nathan, she hadn't given much thought to how men smelled. She knew that after a game and practice, Lucas smelled horrible. She hugged him often; he was her best friend. She hadn't ever noticed that he smelled of anything when she did it. With Nathan, she noticed. There was a musk. She found it very manly and intoxicating.

His eyes were another thing she found herself focusing on. They weren't a clear blue like Lucas's. They were a few shades darker. She hadn't seen the shade before. When they weren't kissing, they were looking into each other's eyes and she was sure she'd never seen a blue that beautiful. More than the color, when Nathan looked at her, she saw such sincerity. It wasn't just his eyes that she found attractive, but it was the way that he looked at her. She found that it made her weak in the knees.

Down in the café, Karen looked up when she heard the bell sound, letting her know that someone had come in. She saw Nathan nervously enter the café. He gave her a shy smile before approaching the counter.

"I'm here for Haley," he told her, removing his hat. "I'm a little early." He knew he was early, but he couldn't stay at the house anymore. He had combed his hair three times. He had tied, untied, and re-tied his tie four times. He'd shined his shoes. He wanted everything to be perfect even though he know he couldn't give her the kind of date that she deserved. He was prepared to wait at the café once he got there.

"She told me," Karen replied. "So, what are your plans?"

"I was thinking of taking her down by the river. There's a little cart there that sells hot dogs. I know it isn't much. It isn't good for her at all," he said sheepishly.

"Dan doesn't pay you much," she acknowledged. He shook his head in response. "Well, I think I have something that can help you out." Karen disappeared behind the kitchen door. When she returned, she was carrying a picnic basket.

"I packed some food for you. It isn't much, but I hope you both enjoy it."

"You did this for us?" Nathan barely knew Karen and he believed that this was more for Haley than him, but he was still so grateful for it. Haley deserved something like this rather than just a hot dog cart.

"Nathan, I'm going to tell you the same thing that I told Haley this morning. When I was your age, I was young and I was in love. Just be careful."

Nathan couldn't stop the word from coming from his mouth. "Love?"

Karen chuckled. "You're just staring out; I know that. Just be careful with each other."

"I'd never hurt her," he said. He wanted to reassure Karen as he had Haley, but in a different way. Reassuring Karen was like reassuring Haley's parents in a way. Nathan knew how close they were. Lucas had mentioned it while they lived in Durham.

"I know that Nathan. I also know that you are not Dan Scott. You're your own man. Haley wouldn't be upstairs getting ready to go out with you if you weren't. You two are going to be just fine. I can feel it. I'll go upstairs and get Haley."

Nathan held onto the handle on the basket, nervously tapping his finger on it as he waited. His grip on the item in his other hand was strong. They weren't much, but he hoped that she liked them. He hadn't taken a girl on a proper date in such a long time. This was all so new to him. He looked down at the counter and saw a newspaper that someone had left behind. There were various articles in the columns on the page, but the one that caught his attention was about the war in France. He frowned. Lucas had seemed concerned about the war for some months now.

"Hello," Haley's sweet voice interrupted his thoughts. He looked up and his mouth went dry. There she stood, her rich brown hair pulled up elegantly, her light green dress hugging her form. Her pink lips were turned upward in a smile. He removed his hand from the picnic basket and took a few short steps so that he was standing right in front of her. He wanted to lean down and kiss her but thought better of it right in the middle of the café.

"You look beautiful," he managed to say. "Really, really beautiful." He noticed her cheeks turn a rosy pink with her blush. "These are for you," he thrust his hand forward, handing her a small bouquet of purple wildflowers.

Her expression brightened even more, if that was possible. She took them from him and brought them to her face, breathing in the subtle aroma. "Let me just go upstairs and put them in some water."

"You're off to a good start," Karen commented after Haley had gone back upstairs. "Try not to be nervous. She wants this just as much as you do."

Karen's words had a calming effect. He believed her. When Haley returned, he placed his hat back on his head, grabbed the picnic basket, thanked Karen, and offered Haley his arm. She took it willingly, bringing her other hand to rest on his forearm.

"You do look beautiful," he told her again as he led her through the streets of Tree Hill.

"Thank you. You look very handsome," she told him. He did. She'd been struck by it when she walked downstairs and saw him waiting for her. He looked like he had been thinking about something, but she wasn't sure what it was.

"It's my uniform for work," he shrugged. "We have to work after this, so…"

"I understand. You still look handsome. It's always looked good on you," she added. "So, where are we going?"

"Well, I really wanted to take you out somewhere great, but you know what Dan pays us. I'm sorry about that. I will take you somewhere great soon. I promise."

"I don't need somewhere fancy or expensive, Nathan. As long as the company is good, that's all I need."

"Well, about all I can afford right now is a hot dog cart. I'm savin' up, though. I'll take you somewhere you deserve. But anyway, Karen took pity on me, so I thought maybe we'd take this basket of food and head to the tables at the docks? It's a nice night."

"It is a nice night. That sounds like a perfect date."

"I'm glad you think so."

They made their way to one of the tables at the docks. The tables were made for just two people. Upon opening the picnic basket, they found that Karen had also included two of the plates from the café. Quietly, they set their food out on the table. Sometimes, their hands would brush against each other and each time they felt that spark. The spark was becoming familiar, but no less exhilarating.

They sat and began eating. Haley noticed that from time to time Nathan would steal glances at a rundown old boat in the distance. It was large and had been there for years. She had seen it before. She wondered why Nathan was so interested in it, but she didn't pry. She was having too good a time with him to bother with it.

He had asked her all about her family. They had talked about them briefly on their walks to the café. Nathan was asking a lot of questions about them. He loved watching how excited she got talking about her family. They clearly loved each other very much. Nathan enjoyed hearing about what a great family life Haley had. It made him sad to think that she didn't have her parents anymore.

Her entire family sounded a little insane, but in a good way. From everything that Haley had said, they were never lacking in love. He had shared with her, as he had briefly before, that his family hadn't been that way. She knew that his mother drank and from her brief meeting with Deb Scott, she knew that at one point Dan had beaten Nathan. Their upbringings were so different.

"You know, most people on their first date get to know each other," he observed.

"We already know each other pretty well."

"Still, I like hearing about your family. They all seem really great. Well, I know Vivian's nice."

"She is. She and I are really close even though we're so far apart in age. I've always been able to really talk to her."

Nathan chewed the food in his mouth before speaking. "Haley, are you worried?"

"About what?"

"Well, Lucas has been talking about the war. He seems worried about it. And I saw in the paper that the Germans are doing a lot of stuff in France. If we go to war, are you worried about Charlie?"

Haley bit her lip. "If we go, he'll be one of the first. He's been in the Navy for over ten years. He's fully trained. I know Vivian is worried. She tried to tell me that she wasn't, but I could tell. I think since having the baby she worries even more."

"Charlie's a good man."

"I'm glad you got along with them."

"Really?"

"Well, yes. We're friends. Well, then we were just friends."

"We're still friends."

"We are. But, I just wanted them to see what I see in you."

"What's that?"

"A good man," she replied, simply.

"You know, if you keep telling me that I'm a good man, it might just go to my head."

"You should believe it, Nathan. Let it go to your head."

He smiled. "You know, I used to be accused of being arrogant."

"Well, let's not let it get that far."

"I don't know, Hales." A smirk decorated his face. "You tell me that I'm a good man and you think I'm handsome. I think that may go to my head."

Haley laughed. "Okay, I take it back. You're not handsome and you're a beast."

"No, no. You can't take it back now. You think I'm handsome and a good man. I'm not forgetting that."

"Good. I actually don't want you to."

Nathan reached across the table for Haley's hand. He rubbed his thumb along her hand.

"Do you miss baseball?" They were nearing the end of their meal. The sun was setting, casting a beautiful cascade of colors on the river beside the dock.

Nathan chewed on the cake dessert that Karen had provided for them. He'd never been asked if he missed the game and he hadn't ever spoken about what had happened. Right after the accident, Lucas had tried to get him to talk. Nathan had been drunk at the time and didn't want to talk. He still wasn't sure that he wanted to talk about it. He did want to talk to Haley, though. He had a yearning for her to know him. Even if that meant knowing about things he wasn't proud of.

"I do miss it. After my mom, it felt like it was the only thing that I had."

"You had Lucas," she pointed out.

"It wasn't the same. I knew baseball. I know baseball. I know what everything means in it. I can see things coming. I knew each play and I knew exactly what I was supposed to do. I didn't know Lucas. I do now, but I didn't then."

"I'm really sorry that you can't play anymore, Nathan. I remember watching you back in school. I would go to see Lucas and I didn't like you then."

Nathan cringed.

"Still, I could see when you played. You looked like you belonged in that field. You were in your element."

Nathan nodded. "Sometimes, I can still hear my knee snap. I can see it. My knee. It's ugly and it'll never look right again."

Haley squeezed his hand and was about to get up and kneel next to him when he began talking again.

"I hate my limp. I was strong. I was in shape. Now I don't walk right. And whenever I walk, I get a reminder that it's all gone." He looked at her, seeing the sympathy in those big brown eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring the mood down."

"I don't mind, Nathan. You should be able to talk about this. If you need someone to listen, I'll be here. You're still strong. If it isn't being too forward, you're also still in shape. I know it's different and I know that it's terrible that something you love got taken from you. I can't imagine what it must feel like."

"It felt like I had nothing," he said softly. "But now feels good. With you, it feels better, Haley. I don't want it to seem like I'm using you, Haley. I really don't. I just, I'm feeling more whole now."

"I don't think you're using me, Nathan. And I think we're on the same page. My life hasn't been perfect. But, somehow, it feels better with you."

He nodded. "I guess we'd better head to work." The two stood up and began packing up their picnic together. "I had a good time, Haley."

"I did too." She took his arm again as they walked to the club. When they were about a block away, he stopped.

"Haley, Dan told me to stay away from you."

"And?"

"And I'm not gonna do that. I just don't want to cause any trouble with you. So, I guess I'm saying that maybe when we're at work we should…"

Haley nodded. She understood where he was coming from, but she wasn't worried about herself. She was worried about him. She did not want to cause trouble for him. She had seen Dan when he was angry. She had also seen him yell at Nathan in front of the other employees for no good reason. "Okay. But I want you to know that's the only place I'll be hiding our relationship."

"Good. I don't want to hide. You know, Dan kinda runs this town. He'll probably find out anyway."

"What will you do if he asks you about it?"

Nathan shrugged. "I'll deal with that if it happens. But I'm not going to stop seeing you, Hales."

"You say all the right things, Nathan Scott." She leaned up and kissed him softly. "I need to get to work so I can change."

"You look beautiful in what you have on."

"You're sweet, but I need to get into my gown and put on some more makeup."

Nathan frowned. "You don't need makeup."

"Again, you're sweet. But, I have to put on a show, Nathan. It's what they're here to see."

He relented and the two walked into the club, unaware of the small man hiding in the shadows between the buildings. He stepped out onto the sidewalk and bumped into another man, not noticing him until they collided.

"Sorry," he apologized. "You. You're Dan's brother-in-law."

"Former brother-in-law," Cooper corrected him. "You're that reporter. How's that story goin'?"

"It could be going better. Do you have a minute?"

Cooper looked at the watch on his wrist. "Sure."

"Step into my office," Mouth said, waving his arm in the direction of the alley way he had come from. "So, you told me that Dan used to run booze during the Volstead days."

"Yeah, you printed that. I'm sure he loved that."

"Yeah, my face felt how much he loved it."

"Rough. Be careful, man."

"I am. Listen, I need to know how you knew about this."

"I tell you that and I could get into trouble."

"I won't mention you. I swear."

"How do I know I can trust you?"

"You don't. But I think we both know that Dan Scott is a bad man. I know there's more to it than just running booze. But if I can get him out of City Hall, then maybe we can start to uncover what he's done."

Cooper ran a hand through his hair. "I was a kid. Just barely outta school. All I wanted to do was drive and race cars. Dan, my brother-in-law, told me that he would help me practice and help me get my own car. I was a stupid seventeen year-old. He had me running booze throughout North Carolina and a little bit through South Carolina. I know he was a bootlegger because I worked for him. That enough for you?"

"For now. Thanks, friend. Hey, why are you talking? Why now?"

"Just maybe Dan Scott has taken something of mine. Like I said, Ace, be careful."

"I will," Mouth nodded, walking in the opposite direction from which he came.

* * *

><p>The club was loud and the customers were happy. Haley was just taking her break and was talking to Chris about which songs would be next.<p>

"This is different," Chris said.

"What is?"

"You. You're happy for once. I can tell in the songs you're singin'. They're happy."

"I've done happy songs before."

"Yeah, but now you mean 'em. Before, when you did the torch songs, you looked like a sad little girl. Now you're happy. What happened to you?"

"None of your business, Keller," she smiled as she walked away. Chris could swear that he noticed a spring in her step.

At the bar, Cooper leaned against it sipping his beer. His eyes followed her as she sashayed to the spot next to him and ordered her drink. Her hair was shining in waves past her shoulders and her lips were as red as rubies.

"Mrs. Scott. How are you this evening?" He kept his eyes on her.

Rachel Scott felt like he was looking right through her and she shifted uncomfortably. "I'm doing just fine, Mr. Lee. And yourself?"

"Oh, I've been better. How's your son?"

"Oh, little Tommy is just swell. He's growing every day. He's just as handsome as his father and his brothers," she glanced over her shoulder to Nathan behind the bar.

"I'm sure he's a handsome kid." He kept staring at her. He didn't stop even when someone spoke.

"Rachel, join me at my table." Dan's tone was cold. He nearly yanked his wife away from the bar and sent a glare in Cooper's direction.

"It's a fine evening, Dan," Cooper remarked, dryly. "You've got a fine wife. A fine family." Cooper downed the rest of his beer in one gulp. He kept his eyes on Rachel as she and Dan took a seat at a table near the dance floor.

"He's never out here," Haley remarked when she reached the bar.

"Figures, just when we decide to be careful when we're around here."

"I wonder what he's doing out here."

"Marking his territory," Cooper interrupted before leaving the bar.

"Haley," Julian smiled in greeting.

"Julian, how are you this evening?"

"I'm well. Great show tonight."

"Thank you." Watching Julian work, she thought about Brooke. "Julian, if I'm not being too bold, I want to tell you that if you asked Brooke to step out sometime that she would like that."

Julian stopped what he was doing, nearly dropping the glass he was drying off. "She would?"

Haley nodded. "I know she would."

"Thank you, Haley," Julian said before going to the end of the bar to help a customer.

Haley looked back at Nathan to see him smiling at her. She loved when he smiled at her and she hoped he always would. That smile made her feel special. "What are you smiling at?"

"You. You're somethin' else."

"I'm happy. Others should be happy too."

He leaned over the bar slightly. "I'll kiss you later, Haley James." He winked and went back to work.

"Whatever happened to being discreet?"

"That was discreet. When I walk you home, I'll show you how I can not be discreet." He winked again and flashed her a smirk. Haley felt her face heat up and a blush color her cheeks.

A short distance away, Dan sat grumpily at his table next to his wife. He was barely paying attention to her.

"How about a dance?" Rachel could feel the tension at the table. Things were so awkward. This was the first time since she'd had Tommy that Dan had paid any attention to her when she came into the club. "Customers don't see me dance." That was all he said on the matter. He didn't notice when Rachel looked across the room where Cooper was sitting with some other men. Just as they had been earlier, his blue eyes were boring into her.

* * *

><p>Quietly, Haley and Nathan walked through Tree Hill. Every few steps, they would stop and share a kiss. Nathan really meant it when he said that he would kiss her later. She didn't want him to stop. Instead of walking with her arm linked through his, they were now hand in hand. Haley felt that their fingers were a perfect fit.<p>

"Well, well, look at you two," Dr. Durham said as they passed his house. It wasn't often that he was sitting out on his porch at that hour. They hadn't seen him there since the first night when he coaxed Nathan out from behind that tree. "Looks like you're no longer hidin', son."

"No, sir."

"You're also saying a lot more. I imagine you're responsible for that," he looked at Haley.

"I don't know about that," Haley objected.

"She is," Nathan answered, smiling at her.

"Always knew she was a special one," the doctor said.

"She is," Nathan agreed.

"Stop it, you two."

"All right, all right. I'll let you two be on your way. You have a good night."

"Goodnight, Dr. Durham," Haley said.

"Night, Doc."

"I had a wonderful time, Nathan," Haley told him as they continued walking.

"I did too. I have to say, I was a little nervous."

"You were? You didn't seem like it. In fact, today you seemed more confident then I've seen you in a while."

"I, uh, I had a little talk with Karen when I got to the café."

"What did she say?"

"Well, she said that I shouldn't be nervous because you wanted to go out with me as much as I wanted to go out with you."

"She was right," Haley leaned into him, their arms making contact. "I want this relationship, Nathan."

"Me too."

"So, what do you think was up with Dan? What do you think Cooper meant?"

"Well, Cooper and Rachel were talking before he came out. I guess he didn't like it."

"He likes being in control," Haley stated. She had seen that. Dan had never been unkind to her. He looked after her in his own way. Still, she had seen the way that he was with other people.

"Has he ever…?"

"No, not with me. He's actually been pretty decent to me."

"Okay. You'd tell me?"

"I don't want to cause any trouble, Nathan."

"Haley, please. Promise me?"

They stopped at the door of the café and she brought a hand to his cheek. He seemed to really want this. "I promise, Nathan."

Not using words to show his gratitude, Nathan captured her lips with his in a searing kiss. It had more passion than their previous kisses and this time, neither wasted any time in parting their lips. Haley felt Nathan's tongue slide along her lips and in response she sucked on his lower lip. After she realized she let out a soft moan, she pulled away. She looked at the ground embarrassed.

Nathan lifted her chin with his finger and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. "So, you think maybe I could take you to a movie? Maybe next Sunday? Maybe before we go to the cemetery?"

"I would like that a lot." She leaned up to kiss him.

"Goodnight, Haley."

She nodded. "You're going right home? Be careful."

"I will. Goodnight, Haley." He kissed her again.

"Goodnight." Haley kept smiling as she walked upstairs to her little apartment. She went to the window and, pulling the curtain aside, she waved to him. He was across the street and waved back. She watched as he walked away, but noticed with curiosity that instead of walking in the direction of Peyton's house, he walked in the opposite direction.

* * *

><p>Nathan looked all around him and pulled his hat down lower so it covered his forehead completely. He looked over in the distance and saw the table where he and Haley had had dinner earlier. Despite what he was doing, he couldn't help but smile.<p>

Nathan stepped onto the rickety old boat. It was the same one he had been looking at during dinner. He hoped that Haley didn't notice. He didn't need her finding the boat. That would only raise more questions and that could be very dangerous for her.

There was a breeze that night and it rocked the boat back and forth. Nathan grabbed hold of something to steady himself. He pulled the bag over his shoulder and went into the cabin. Once he was inside, he looked around. Upon inspecting the place, he sighed. He began unloading the contents of the bag, organizing them in the cupboards and on the shelves.

He pulled out a stack of newspapers and set them on the small table in the corner. They'd been organized by date. Nathan took the one from the top and sat down. He looked in the corner and sighed, wondering how long he would have to wait. Using the one small lamp that illuminated the cabin, Nathan began to read. According to the paper, the Germans were invading Russia. Nathan found himself worrying about Charlie even more.

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> So, that's mysterious, right? ;) The next chapter will skip ahead a bit. Don't worry, you won't miss anything. Thanks for reading and reviewing!


	16. Carried Away

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Note:** Please, try not to get used to me updating so frequently. I actually think I may be updating faster than you can review. Or, you just don't like this story as much as _Your Hand in Mine_. Anyway, the updates will slow down soon. I am really excited to write the next chapter, though. Haley's apartment makes an appearance in this chapter. I don't know if any of you are _Gilmore Girls_ fans, but I keep picturing Haley's little apartment to be similar to Luke's above the diner. There are two kinds of tension in this chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

><p>The past six weeks had been like heaven for both Nathan and Haley. Much to their surprise, Dan hadn't spoken to Nathan or given any indication that he was aware of the recent turn in their relationship. They were sure that he knew, but if he did, he was giving no indication of it.<p>

Nathan and Haley had fallen into a happy routine. Nathan, of course, walked her home each night. Now, though, there was a great deal of kissing involved. They were both relieved that it was late at night and no one was out. They knew that if people saw the way they kissed out in the open they would be raising more than a few eyebrows.

Around mid-morning each day, Nathan would come to the café. He would sit at the counter and Karen would always give him something to eat. When Haley had a few spare moments, the two would talk. He would sit there with her for hours. He would leave, go home and change for work, then come back so they could eat dinner and so that he could walk her to the club. They were spending as much time as they possibly could together. In fact, Brooke had made a passing comment at dinner one Sunday that she now expected to always see one with the other.

Nathan had attended every Sunday dinner since the first time he went with Haley. She never had to ask him again. The first Sunday after his first dinner, they had gone to a movie and then to the cemetery. In the movie, they had sat in the back row with his arm around her shoulders as they watched _His Girl Friday_. After they visited with their parents, they walked hand in hand to Karen's house for dinner. A place had already been set for Nathan. They expected him there. They had accepted him as one of the family. Nathan and Haley both shared a smile when they noticed that Brooke and Julian were closer than they had been the week before. They guessed that Julian had taken Haley's words to heart.

Each night, as always, he dropped her off at the café. Each night, for both of them, it got more and more difficult to say goodnight. They found that they stayed out by the café's door longer and longer just holding each other and kissing.

They hadn't needed to tell their friends that they were a couple now. It was just observed. Brooke had, of course, cornered Haley the first chance she got. Peyton was with her, quietly being the voice of reason while Brooke rambled on excitedly. Haley had blushed through the entire conversation as Brooke questioned her about how the relationship was going. Haley had given a few details. She had explained that they'd had a date and that they'd been to a movie. When Brooke asked if they had kissed, Haley hadn't answered but her blush told Brooke everything that she needed to know.

Lucas had been quiet throughout the past six weeks. When he and Nathan spoke it was always about Dan and about the docks. Usually, when Nathan was at the house, it was just to sleep. He spent most of his time with Haley, which led Lucas to have little time to ask his little brother about his relationship with the girl that Lucas considered a sister.

Lucas walked into the café one day in early October. He was meeting Peyton there for dinner during his break at work. He stood in the doorway and looked in the corner of the café. Seated at the table in the far corner of the space were Nathan and Haley. Instead of sitting across from each other at the square table, they were sitting next to each other. Nathan was laughing as he watched Haley steal a bite of food from his own plate. As she reached for another bite, Nathan took hold of her hand. Lucas saw how intimate they looked just in the simple act of holding hands. He could see it in their eyes. For the two of them, there was no one else in the crowded café. They were in their own little world.

"Ah, young love," Karen's voice broke Lucas from his thoughts. She was carrying a pot of coffee. He turned his attention to his mother.

"You think they're in love?"

"I think that I see him come in here every day and that whenever he's here, her entire face lights up like it's Christmas. Lucas, I haven't seen her this happy since before her parents died and you left. It's because of him. And, tell me, when is the last time you saw him this happy?"

Lucas thought. He took his hat off, ran a hand through his hair, and squinted as he watched his brother and best friend. "I never have."

"And that's because of her. They've been very good for each other."

"They're happy," Lucas observed.

"The way I see them look at each other…"

"It's like they're the only ones in the world," Lucas finished. "Peyton says he's his old self, but the best version. She said he's got his confidence back. He's been making jokes and laughing. It's like how he used to be except for being a nice guy now."

"And we know who's responsible for that."

"All that time in Durham, I kept trying to get him out of it. You know, he was so despondent after finding Deb and Keith. It was bad for him and it changed him. He was so down and sad all the time. We came back and he was still like that. Now, he's completely different. It's like he's normal."

"He's normal and he's in love."

"Has he mentioned it?"

"I don't think they've mentioned it to each other. I don't think they've even realized it."

Lucas looked at his best friend. For the first time since he returned from Durham, her smile reached her eyes. "Was she really that unhappy while we were gone?"

"I think that Lydia and Jimmy's deaths hit her harder than she ever expected. Both were so sudden. It's taken her some time, but she's coming out of it. How are you feeling about this?"

"It's not really up to me, is it?"

"No, it's not. But they both value your opinion."

"I wasn't sure about them at first. Nathan and me, we talked a little. He stood his ground. He said that she was his friend and that he wasn't going to stop that. I hadn't realized that it had been so hard on her while we were gone. I saw how hard things were on him with Deb and then with his knee. They're both happy, though. That's what matters. Any idiot could see how happy they are. They, uh, they look good together."

"They do," Karen agreed.

"So, how long do you think until they realize it themselves?"

Karen shrugged. "I think on some level, they do know. They just have to admit it completely. Their friendship and what's happened since has been rather quick. Who knows, they could just wake up one day and realize it. Now, what brings my handsome son here today?"

"Peyton and I are having dinner together. Here. I have a short break, so we thought we'd come here. She should be here any minute now."

"Well, have a seat. I'll get you your usual."

* * *

><p>Haley leaned against Nathan as he leaned against the door jamb of the café. It was late and they were just returning from the club. He had his arms around her and her face was nuzzled against his chest. He held her tight, keeping her warm. Fall had come to Tree Hill. The leaves were red and orange and the nights were getting much cooler. She held onto his jacket, not wanting to let go. He was intoxicating. The way his hands were resting on the small of her back, moving gently back and forth, was calming but also causing her temperature to rise.<p>

Nathan's hands traveled from her back to her waist, squeezing it and bringing her closer. They traveled up her side, but stopped when his thumbs reached her stomach. He was leaving small butterfly kisses on the side of her face, his eyes closed.

"Do you want to come inside?" Haley's voice was soft and nervous. They had never gone inside the café together after hours. He always dropped her off at the door and said goodnight like a gentleman.

"Inside?" His mouth went dry.

She nodded her head. She was biting her lip. "I'm not ready to say goodnight, Nathan. It's getting harder to do each night."

"I know," he said, kissing her. "Haley, I respect you. More than anyone else in my life, honestly. I want to do everything the right way with you. If I went in there and someone saw me, what would people think of you? I don't want that."

"Nathan, I'm not talking about you staying the night. I'm asking if you want to come upstairs and spend a little extra time with me before we say goodnight. We'd sit on my couch, we'd talk; I might kiss you a few times. That's it."

"Are you sure, Hales? I don't want you to feel like you have to do anything."

"I'm sure, Nathan. I'm also sure that I'm not ready to say goodnight."

"Okay. I'll come inside for a bit."

She smiled and kissed him once more before leading him inside the café and locking the door behind her. She held onto his hand as she led the way upstairs. As many times as Nathan had seen her come down from those stairs, he had never once been up there. There was a short hallway before they got to her door. It was unlocked and she opened it and turned a light on, never once letting go of his hand.

The apartment was small. To one side was a common living area with a rug on the wood floor and a small couch. The table by the couch had a picture of her parents. The picture was old and worn. There was also a small table in another corner. On the other side of the room, behind a small wall, he assumed was where she slept. He saw the window that overlooked the street. It was the same window from which she waved to him each night.

He took his hat off and stuffed it into his back pocket. He watched as she removed her coat and hung it on a post on the back of her door. Finally letting go of her hand, he removed his jacket and did the same. His bowtie had long been untied and was hanging around his neck.

"Well, this is it," Haley said nervously. "It isn't much, but it's a home."

"I like it," Nathan said. "It does feel like a home. It's your home."

Now that Haley had him upstairs she was actually nervous. She really didn't want to say goodnight to him. She had asked him to come upstairs on impulse. Now he was here and she was nervous. She began to fidget and her lip was firmly planted between her teeth.

Nathan watched Haley as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Her eyes refused to meet his own. "Haley, if you're nervous I can just go."

Her head shot up. "No. I don't want you to leave. I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm nervous."

Nathan closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around her waist. He just held her, hoping she would feel more comfortable. After several moments, her own arms wrapped around his midsection. She pulled away from him, taking his large hand in her own, and went to the couch. She sat down, bringing him with her. He leaned into the corner of the couch and pulled her so that she was leaning on him. Haley rested her head on his chest and could hear his heartbeat. She kept her hand in his.

As she stayed in Nathan's arms, she completely forgot that she had been nervous. This is what she had wanted. She wanted more time with Nathan. After a while of laying just like that, Haley turned her head and looked up at Nathan. He had his eyes closed. She leaned in closer to him and placed a kiss on his jaw line. She brought one hand to his cheek, letting it rest there. When he opened his eyes, he was smiling at her. Bringing his head down, he kissed her and placed both hands on the sides of her head.

Haley scooted up so she could reach him better. Her chest was pressed into his and she placed her arm around his neck. Moving her other hand from his cheek, she let it rest at the nape of his neck. Unconsciously, her fingers began playing with the hair there. The action only spurred him on.

His hands began to travel and soon, one was gripping her waist and bringing her closer to him. She felt his tongue across her lips and she pulled away. She looked into his eyes. She had a feeling that she knew what the look in his eyes was, but part of her was too afraid to say what it was. She brought her lips back to his and parted them.

Their kissing was escalating more than it ever had. Nathan thought that was probably because now they were in the privacy of Haley's home and not out in the streets of Tree Hill. His hand moved upward from her hip and stopped, just a few centimeters from her breast. His thumb began moving back and forth, feeling the fabric of her dress underneath it.

Testing her boundaries, Nathan slipped his tongue into her mouth. Her felt her lips still momentarily, but she then opened her mouth wider, giving him better access. His tongue delved into her mouth, tasting her and massaging her tongue with his own. He heard her let out a moan, giving him a feeling of satisfaction.

Haley hadn't expected to feel his tongue in her mouth, but after getting over the initial shock, she found that she liked it. She liked how close they were at that moment. In fact, she loved it. Everything in her body was crying for him. She was kissing him back with a ferocity that she didn't even know she possessed. Feeling bold, she plunged her tongue into his mouth. She felt his lips smile against her own and she couldn't help the moan that came from her. She had a hand running up and down his back, putting pressure on it, as if she was trying to get closer to him.

Haley opened her eyes when she felt his lips leave hers, but closed them again when she felt him kissing her neck. He was leaving a trail of kisses until he reached her shoulder where her skin was just covered by her dress. He stopped and looked at her. Her eyes were closed and her lips were parted and swollen.

"You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, Haley James. You're perfect." Before she could say anything, his lips claimed hers once again. He pulled away one last time and smiled at her. "Haley, if I don't leave now, I really will be in danger of ruining your reputation. I don't want to go, but I think that I should."

Haley nodded in understanding. She knew exactly what he meant. She was glad that he had pulled away, because she wasn't getting close to stopping. Her heart swelled at knowing how thoughtful he was. Her feelings for him grew deeper and deeper each day.

Nathan disentangled himself from Haley and stood up. He went to the door and grabbed his jacket. When he turned around, Haley was there, smiling.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Hales," he told her, giving her a quick kiss. He was careful not to linger. He didn't want to get carried away again. If he did, he might never leave.

Haley bit her lip and remembered watching him as he'd left the night before. As always, she watched from the window as he walked off. Instead of walking in the direction of Peyton's house, he had gone in a different direction. It was the same direction she had seen him go in six weeks earlier. She hadn't asked him about it even though she wanted to. She shared everything with him and she thought he did with her as well. Mostly, what she felt was curiosity. Where was he going?

"What are you thinking about?" Nathan noticed her biting her lip.

"Nathan, a while back, I was watching you walk away from the window, but you didn't go in the direction of Peyton's house."

Uh oh. Nathan felt like the color was draining from his face and he hoped that she didn't notice. He tried to quickly think of something to tell her.

"I've seen you do that a few times a week since then. It's probably none of my business, but I was just wondering where it is you're going in the middle of the night." Haley was nervous as she asked the question. She had, for the briefest of moments, wondered if he was off seeing some other girl. Then, he looked at her and she knew that wasn't even a possibility. He wouldn't do that to her. She could tell just by the way he looked at her. Still, her curiosity was getting the best of her.

"I, um," he stammered, "there's this old boat. Peyton's dad owns it," he thought of quickly. "Sometimes, I look after it."

"In the middle of the night?"

Nathan swallowed. "Yes." He tried to think quickly. "In the day, there are a lot of people at the docks. Big, strong men. It's just… well, it's just kind of embarrassing having them see a cripple out there. If I'm there at night, no one is there and can see me." He felt so guilty as he watching the look of sympathy color Haley's face. He felt even guiltier when she launched herself at him and hugged him.

"You're not a cripple," she told him. "I could go and help you," she suggested.

Nathan's eyes widened. "Haley, you can't. The docks are no place for a lady in the middle of the night."

"Nathan, I'd be with you. I know I would be safe."

"Maybe… maybe I don't want you to see me like that, Hales." That was the first part of this story that was true. Haley once told him that she thought he was strong and in shape. He didn't want her thinking any differently.

"Nathan, do you think that matters to me?"

"I know, Haley. It's just… my pride, you know?"

"I understand that. Okay. I won't help. Although you don't have to hide anything from me, Nathan."

"I know. I trust you, Hales. More than anyone." That was also the truth, but it didn't alleviate his guilt.

They kissed again and Haley walked Nathan downstairs so that she could lock the café door behind him. Again, she went to her window and watched him. This time, he walked right in the direction of Peyton's house.

Nathan's shoulders were hunched over as he walked to Peyton's. He felt like vomiting because he lied to Haley. He had never lied to her before and he didn't want to make a habit of it. She had such faith in him. She had believed every word out of his mouth. Now, he also had to make Lucas and Peyton complicit in his lie by telling them what he had told Haley. They couldn't risk her mentioning the boat to them and them not knowing what was going on.

He didn't want to have that conversation with Lucas. Part of him was worried that Lucas would tell him that his relationship with Haley was a mistake. Nathan didn't see it that way. Something that made both he and Haley so happy couldn't possibly be a mistake. They weren't hurting anyone. Things were a little more complicated, but they weren't hurting anyone.

Haley had told him that Karen thought that they were both broken. Nathan instantly thought of his knee, which would never heal. He didn't like thinking about that, but he did think about what Karen had said. He hadn't felt whole until he met Haley. He also knew how sad she had been. He had realized that Karen was right. They were broken and now they were healing each other. Nathan couldn't remember ever smiling as much as he did with Haley. She also smiled around him, so he felt that he had a similar effect on her. There was no way that that was a mistake.

* * *

><p>Dan Scott held his newspaper in his hand. He had a vice like grip on the edges as he read the words of Marvin 'Mouth' McFadden. That little twerp couldn't take a warning like most people.<p>

"_Previously, we reported that Mayor Dan Scott had been involved in a bootlegging ring while the Volstead Act was still law. After some additional reporting, more evidence has been uncovered that confirms the allegations made against the mayor._

"_A source claims that Mayor Scott began running alcoholic beverages across the Virginia border into North Carolina in 1922, just after an injury ended his career in baseball. Quickly rising in the ranks within the organization, it wasn't long until Mayor Scott had taken over the operation. _

"_Our source claims that Mayor Scott was able to take over the operation by intimidation, bribery, and violence. These are the same practices that Mayor Scott used to maintain his power. He kept his business thriving until 1933, when the Volstead Act was repealed._

"_Prior to the repeal, Mayor Scott's operation provided alcoholic beverages throughout all of North Carolina. Eventually, business expanded and he began servicing South Carolina. Through these business dealings, Mayor Scott amassed a fortune that he maintained throughout the recent economic hardships._

"_Scott used his influence and power to secure his bid for mayor. He won the election by gaining 53% of the vote. Readers may recall that his campaign was based on a platform of good, old-fashioned family values._

"_Mayor Scott's first wife, Deborah Scott, was murdered in his own home in May of 1939. No suspect was ever apprehended. Currently, Mayor Scott is married to the Rachel Scott, formerly Gatina. The two exchanged vows at City Hall after a short courtship. It wasn't long after their marriage that their son, Thomas Scott was born._

"_The Tree Hill Sherriff has not responded to questions about why the first Mrs. Scott's murderer was never found. Allegations abound that one of the ways that Mayor Scott was able to stay involved in an illegal business for so long is that he paid certain members of the Tree Hill Sherriff Department, as well as other city officials. One would think that with such high powered friends, they would have done everything in their power to find the criminal and bring him to justice."_

Dan crumpled the paper and threw it on the floor of the car. He would have to take care of that lousy reporter. Clearly, the message had not been received. He looked out the window and waited. He knew it wouldn't be long now. He was right. Five minutes later, he saw his son walking down the street. He was about to pass the car when Dan rolled the window down.

"Nathan. Get in the car," he ordered, opening the door. Dan was seated in the backseat and slid over to make room for Nathan.

Finding Dan waiting for him in a car was the last thing that Nathan expected as he walked to the café. He had just had an awkward conversation with his brother. He told Lucas what had happened with Haley the night before with the boat. He didn't want to hear Lucas tell him that being with Haley was a mistake, so he began talking before Lucas could say a word. He explained everything he had thought of last night. He explained that though things were more complicated, no one was getting hurt and that he and Haley made each other happy. When he finished, Lucas and Peyton were both just staring at him.

With no objection from his brother, Nathan was now headed to the café to spend time with Haley. He stopped by the car and hesitated before climbing into the backseat and sitting next to his father. He looked at Dan uncomfortably before focusing on staring at his hands in his lap.

"Where are you headed?"

"Just for a walk," Nathan lied.

"Drive," Dan ordered the man driving. "You know where to go."

They sat in an uncomfortable silence while Nathan waited for Dan to speak.

"Do you like working for me, Nathan?"

"I'm grateful for the job," Nathan said, not telling his dad that he hated that he was his boss. The best part of working there was Haley.

"Do you remember what I said two months ago? I told you to keep your hands off of the girl."

"I remember."

"I told you that my employees do not fraternize. Now, I'm sure you don't know what that means-," he began.

"I know what it means," Nathan interrupted. He hadn't known what it meant when Dan had first said it, but after a while he just asked Haley.

"Then apparently you just don't listen. Whatever is going on between the two of you needs to stop. It stops right now, Nathan."

Nathan felt himself getting angry and he held his hands together tightly. "Why?"

"You're asking me why?"

"I don't work for you the same way some of the others do," Nathan wasn't sure where this bravery was coming from. "You can't order me around like your driver. Who I choose to be friends with isn't any of your business."

"It is my business when she works for me. It is my business when you're my son."

"I'm a grown man who can make his own decisions."

"If you're a grown man, then maybe you can go find your own job."

"If you want to fire me, you go right on ahead."

"Tell me something, Nathan, what happens when you get this girl pregnant? She's already struggling to make ends me and you can barely support yourself. In fact, as I understand it, you're not supporting yourself. You live with Karen's son and his wife rent free. If you get that girl pregnant, Nathan, I lose money. I can't have an expectant mother singing in my club. The customers don't come in to see that. They come expecting to see a pretty girl singing pretty songs."

Nathan couldn't believe what he was hearing. As he heard the words coming from Dan's mouth, something was becoming very clear to him. Dan wasn't just thinking about Nathan's relationship with Haley. Dan was also thinking about the relationship between he and Karen. Why else would he be bringing up a possible pregnancy?

One thing that Nathan had become very aware of throughout his relationship with Haley and his time with Lucas and their family was that he was not Dan Scott. He would never put Haley in that position. As for his financial situation, he had tried to pay rent to Peyton but she refused. He had handed her money and she had simply put it back in his room. After a while, she told him that he should be saving for his future. He was sure that she meant a future with Haley. He had saved just about everything he made at Dan's. It wasn't much, but it was something.

What Dan was also unaware of was the money that would be coming to him once he turned twenty-one. Not long after getting to Durham, Nathan had been visited at practice by an attorney representing his mother's family. His mother had come from wealth. The attorney informed him that when Nathan turned twenty-one, he would be inheriting a trust that had been set aside for him by his grandparents after his birth. The money wouldn't be his for another two years, but it would certainly be enough to take care of Haley and live comfortably. In the meantime, he could try to find another job while living off of the money he saved from Dan's. He might need one if Dan was planning on firing him.

"Don't worry, dad. You don't have to worry about that."

"Of course I worry," Dan spewed. "You're my son."

In name only, Nathan thought. He didn't want to be his father and he wouldn't be. Haley had faith in him and he wasn't going to disappoint her. They were so busy talking that Nathan hadn't noticed where the car was driving until it stopped. They were a block away from the café. Nathan looked at Dan but tried to keep his expression neutral.

"If we have to have this conversation a third time, son, it's going to go a lot differently," Dan warned.

Nathan didn't say a word. He got out of the car and stood on the sidewalk, waiting for Dan to drive away. He didn't. Dan stared out the window at Nathan, the window down.

"You have a choice to make, son. Your family or some girl. I'll see you tonight at the club."

Taking Dan's words as a challenge, Nathan began walking toward the café. Once he was closer to it, he could see Haley through the windows and he smiled. The tension from his visit with Dan was disappearing as her appearance got clearer. There was no decision to be made. The woman in front of him was it. She had given him more than Dan Scott ever did. She had given him everything.

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><p>"What's bothering you?" Haley had noticed that Nathan was quiet on their entire walk home.<p>

It was a little unnerving to Nathan that Haley could read him so easily. At the same time, he also found it comforting. She knew him. She wanted to know him.

He hadn't decided yet if he would tell her about his conversation with his father. He tried to act like nothing was wrong, but Haley could apparently see right through that.

"It's nothing," he tried to brush it off, but he regretted it. He had lied to her last night and he still felt sick about it. He couldn't lie to her again. "That's not true."

"Tell me what's going on with you, Nathan."

"Before I got to the café, I saw my dad."

Haley moved closer to him. Their arms were linked together. "How did that go?"

"It was the conversation we'd been waiting for."

The two of them had talked. They knew that Dan would probably talk to them at some point, they just didn't know when. They had basically been waiting for it to happen.

"What did he say, Nathan?"

"The same thing as last time. He told me to stay away from you."

"Is that all?"

Nathan breathed in the nice fall air. It was a beautiful night. He wouldn't be lying to Haley again. "He sort of said that if I got you pregnant it wouldn't be good. Something about losing his singer and me not being able to support you."

Haley felt herself get angry. Their relationship was really none of his business and now he was definitely out of line. "How dare he-."

"I know, Hales. I set him straight. He had no business saying that."

They walked a little more, both thinking about what Dan had said.

"Haley, I wouldn't do that to you."

"Do what?"

"What my dad did to Karen. I would take care of you. And if I was bringing a baby into the world, I'd do it the right way. Not the way that Dan did it. Twice."

"Twice?"

"I can do the math, Haley. I know that my mother was pregnant with me before she married Dan and I know that Rachel was pregnant with Tommy before she married him. It seems like the only reason Dan gets married is if he's got a baby on the way. I won't be doing that. I'm gonna do it right. I'm not going to be him."

"You're not him," she leaned up and placed a kiss on his cheek. "And I know you would never do that to me. I do, Nathan. Last night, we both got carried away."

"I am sorry about that."

"I'm not," she said quickly. "I mean, I don't regret being with you. I feel so close to you. I know we've only been together a short time, but it's what I feel. I can't help it. But, last night was as far as it will get. My parents, the way they raised me…" She tried to figure out how to say what she wanted to say. "They raised me as, I guess, an old-fashioned girl."

"I get what you're trying to say, Haley. You won't… you won't be making love to anyone until you're married. I never thought anything different," he said.

"Is that enough for you?" She bit her lip with worry.

"You're going to wear a hole through your lip, Hales. Never worry about that. You're more than enough for me. You're everything for me."

She couldn't help herself as she put both arms around his neck and kissed him. Nathan Scott was more than she'd ever dreamed of.

"Did Dan say anything else?"

Nathan winced. The move did not go unnoticed by Haley.

"Nathan…"

"He said that if we had the conversation a third time that it wouldn't be the same."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know. I don't care, Haley. He isn't going to stop me from seeing you. When he dropped me off by the café, he told me to make a choice. There wasn't a choice to make. It's you. As long as you want me and even when you're done with me, it's going to be you."

"Who said anything about being done with you?"

"I'm sure you'll get tired of me someday."

"I'm sure I won't," she disagreed. "I'd better get inside," she said. She wanted to invite him upstairs again. As it had been for weeks, it just wasn't enough time with Nathan. She wanted more time with him. Still, they had gotten carried away the night before and Haley didn't want to take chances.

"Goodnight, Haley." He leaned down to kiss her. The kiss was far more chaste than the kisses they shared the night before. It was no less passionate, though. "I…," he began. The words were on the tip of his tongue, but they just wouldn't come out. After the events of that day he was more sure of it than he had been before. Still, he couldn't quite bring himself to say it. "I'll see you tomorrow, Hales."

"Goodnight, Nathan." One more quick kiss and she was inside, locking the door behind her.

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><p>Dan strolled into the offices of the newspaper. Very few of the staff were there, but when they noticed him they all seemed to cower. He walked by them without even looking their way. He reached the office of the editor and didn't bother knocking on the door.<p>

"McFadden's days working for you are through. Are we clear?" Dan didn't wait for the man to respond. He left without a word.

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><p><strong>Note:<strong> Again, thank you for reading and reviewing! We'll see if I can keep this quick updating mojo going for one more chapter.


	17. I Worry About You

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Notes:** This is a big chapter. A lot is revealed here. I hadn't planned on updating a fourth time this week, but I just really wanted to write this chapter. I am going to take a little break, though. It won't be too long. Just don't expect an update tomorrow. Or the day after that. Anyway, thank you for reading!

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><p>The streets of Tree Hill were deserted. Cars were parked, but their owners were nowhere to be found. Debris blew through the streets. It was like a ghost town. Despite the lack of people in the streets, there was still movement. The wind was blowing, causing the rain to fall sideways instead of downward. Trees were slanted, garbage cans were tipped over, their contents blowing in every direction. From various directions, crashing could be heard from debris falling. Trees were also falling.<p>

Over the radio, it was said that this would be the worst hurricane to make landfall in Tree Hill in nearly thirty years. It was toward the end of hurricane season and no one expected it. Everyone had boarded up their windows and had stocked up on supplies. They had sought safety and companionship as they prepared for the coming storm. It wouldn't be long before it made landfall. They had lost the radio not long ago. They were now on their own and without news of the storm.

Despite the chaos outside, there was one lone figure in the streets of Tree Hill. He was hunched over, trying to keep his head covered with the hood of the rain slicker that covered his upper body. He had to hold the slicker shut and the hood down so that it wouldn't blow away. Despite his 6'2" muscular frame, he still had to brace himself and fight against the wind.

The weather was worse at the docks then it was at the house. He had no choice, though. He had to be there. A particularly violent gust of wind blew and the water from the river splashed up, soaking Nathan. The slicker was useless at this point.

He got onto the rickety old boat that belonged to Larry Sawyer. It was thrashing in the wind and Nathan lost his balance and fell. His back landed on an old piece of wood. He was sure it would leave a bruise. He struggled to stand up but managed. As he undid the latch on the cabin door, it crashed open. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the inside of the cabin.

Not too far from the docks, Haley, Julian, and Brooke were inside the café boarding up the windows. They worked quickly, trying to finish the job so that they could get to Karen's house. That was where they would all be waiting out the storm.

Haley handed Julian another nail as he finished the last window. Once they were done, they would have to make a run for it.

"Lucas said he took care of his and Peyton's house?"

"Yes," Haley answered Julian.

"I wonder why Nathan is staying there instead of coming to Karen's," Julian wondered.

Haley felt the blood drain from her face. She fully expected to find Nathan at Karen's house when they got there. There was no reason for him to not be there. At Peyton's house he would be all by himself. Haley worried for him. She felt the fear course through her body.

"What do you mean, Julian?"

"Well, I talked to Lucas before we left to board this place up and come get you. He said that Nathan would be staying behind at Peyton's house. He's there right now."

"We thought you knew, Haley," Brooke added. She was packing up some food from the kitchen so that they would have extra.

Haley worriedly ran a hand through her hair. Nathan shouldn't be alone in the storm. Deep down, she knew that he would probably be safe at the house. The windows were boarded up and it was actually further inland than Karen's. He could wait out the storm in the basement and he would be fine. The fact that he was alone was something she did not want. He was a grown man who didn't get scared of storms, but she still did not want him to be alone. She also couldn't figure out why he would choose to stay by himself.

It had been two months since his first Sunday dinner. He was getting along wonderfully with everyone. He was a natural part of their little family. Surely that couldn't have anything to do with his reason for staying at Peyton's.

Without a word, Haley ran upstairs to her apartment. She grabbed her handbag and her coat and as she ran down the stairs, she sifted through it. When she found what she was looking for, she stopped in front of Brooke and placed it in her hand.

"Lock the door when you leave," she said, closing Brooke's hand over the key to the café. She didn't look back at Brooke and Julian and she didn't stop for them to respond. Without a second thought, she was out the door and into the storm.

Haley was immediately assaulted by the wind and the rain. She didn't pause, though. She could vaguely hear Brooke and Julian shouting behind her, but she was running. Running against the wind made things difficult, but she kept running. Brooke and Julian would know where she was going. They would get to Karen's safely and they would tell everyone where she went.

She took no notice of the empty streets. Occasionally, she would dodge a flying branch and other trash being blown about. After just one block, the rain had soaked through her coat. Her hair had been put up simply that morning, and now it was hanging down both sides of her face. Her feet splashed in the puddles, getting her ankles wet. Every part of her was soaked to the bone.

She didn't slow down until she reached Peyton's front yard. She took shelter underneath the porch and began banging on the front door. He didn't answer. She tried banging harder, but she was sure it couldn't be heard over the wind. She tried opening the door, but sure enough it was locked. She remembered that they kept a spare key by the back door. Braving the rain and wind again, Haley ran to the back of the house. She stopped when she saw him.

Nathan was just as soaked as she was. He was carrying a lantern and coming from the shed. Despite the veritable deluge around them, Haley still smiled with relief when she saw him. She ran to him, her feet making indents in the muddy grass. She stopped just in front of him.

"Haley, what are you doing here?" He had to shout to be heard over the wind. "You shouldn't be here, Haley!" Anyone other than Lucas, Peyton, or Nathan being at the house at that moment was a bad thing. Still, even though he knew that, Nathan was still happy to see her. She looked out of breath. His happiness at seeing her vanished and worry took over. "Haley, what are you doing here?"

"I had to see you," she said, knowing it was a feeble reason. "Julian said you were staying here instead of coming to Karen's. I didn't understand why and I was worried about you," she explained.

His expression softened, but that didn't stop the anxiety from coursing through his body. "You shouldn't have run out in the middle of a hurricane, Haley. You don't need to worry about me."

"I can't help it, Nathan. I…," she was so close to saying it. "I worry about you, Nathan. It's not something that I can control."

He watched her. Her chest was heaving and her coat was clinging to every curve of her body. Her hair was a wet, tangled mess. Her lips were parted as she was catching her breath. Her cheeks were flushed. He knew exactly how he felt about her. He'd known for weeks. Of course she cared. He cared too. He cared so much.

"You shouldn't be here." He relented, though. There was nothing he could do about it now. There was no way she could go anywhere else in this storm. The truth was that there was no one else he'd rather be with, during a storm or when the sun was shining. He reached for her hand and led her into the house where it was dry. He set the lantern he had been holding on the kitchen counter. He was about to go into the hall and get them some towels she her hand stopped him. She put her hand on his neck and brought his head down to hers so that she could reach him. She kissed him, neither of them feeling the chill of the rain on their bodies.

"We'll stay in the living room," he said, looking nervously toward the basement. He avoided her gaze as he went to get them towels. He limped upstairs and went into Peyton and Lucas's bedroom. He felt like he was intruding. Going to their closet, he opened and stared inside. He heard Haley clear her throat from behind him.

"I'm trying to find you something to wear. You can't stay in that dress." She had discarded her coat and left it downstairs. He tried to keep his eyes on his face, but it was difficult. Her dress was sticking to all of her curves. "I don't really know what to pick. Peyton's bigger than you are."

Haley chuckled a little and went to the closet to help him out. "You should change too, Nathan."

He nodded and left her in the bedroom, closing the door behind him. When he finished changing, he saw that Lucas and Peyton's door was open. Assuming that Haley must be downstairs, he went in search of her. He found her sitting at the kitchen table, tapping her fingers nervously on the surface of it. He sat down next to her.

"I think we'll be more comfortable in the living room."

"It's safer in the basement," she answered.

He sighed. He knew that she was right. "Haley, you shouldn't have come here. You should have stayed with everyone at Karen's. You'd be safe there."

"I'm safe here, Nathan."

"Haley, you ran out in the middle of a hurricane."

"Technically, it isn't a hurricane yet. It hasn't made landfall. It'll be a few more hours."

"Haley, no one is out right now because they know they need to stay inside. What were you thinking?"

Haley tried not to feel hurt by his words. She had been so worried about him that she hadn't considered his reaction. She never imagined that he'd be upset with her. She tried to hold in the tears that were threatening to fall.

"I'm sorry, Nathan. I know it was stupid."

"Haley, you aren't stupid."

"It was reckless. I know that and I'm sorry. It's just that when Julian said that you were staying here, I couldn't help it, I just felt so scared for you. I knew deep down you'd be fine. I just didn't want you here by yourself. I just didn't understand why you would choose to stay here instead of being with our friends and family. Instead of being with me."

Nathan knew she wouldn't understand that. He had volunteered to do this because he knew that it would raise the fewest questions. He knew, though, that Haley would still have questions. She wouldn't understand why he was staying at Peyton's instead of being with her. He just never imagined that she would come running through a hurricane after him. If he wasn't so nervous about her being in the house, he would spend more time thinking about how touched he was. He knew that no one had ever cared for him so much that they'd brave a storm for him the way she just did.

"There's no one else I would rather be with than you, Haley," he said sincerely.

"Then why are you staying here?"

He was trying to think of an answer when they heard the crack of a tree and a thud. It came from the backyard.

"We'll talk down in the basement. It's safer down there," she said, getting up and walking to the basement door.

"Haley, no," he began to protest. "We can't go down there," he blurted out.

"Nathan, why not? It's a hurricane. What, is Peyton hiding dead bodies or something down there?" She smiled at her own joke and turned the doorknob. "Nathan, when we get down there, I need you to tell me what's going on with you. I can tell you're hiding something from me."

He couldn't stop her and he felt his stomach twist in knots. He knew the second she stepped into that basement that he was going to have a lot of explaining to do. There was no way of stopping it now. He held his breath as she walked into the basement and he followed her, his footsteps sounding against the wooden stairs.

As she was descending into the basement, Haley saw a small light coming from the room. She thought that was curious, because it seemed like Nathan had no intention of coming down here. She took a few more careful steps until she was on the basement floor.

"Did you bring that extra lantern?" Haley paused hearing that voice. She hadn't heard it in over two years. Seeing him sitting in front of her, her eyes went wide. She stepped backward and backed right into Nathan. Startled, she turned to look at him, then she looked back at the other occupant of the basement. Looking back at Nathan, she saw how guilty he looked. She looked at the other person and noticed the look of happiness.

"What is going on?" Her voice was barely a whisper. "You… you're dead. We buried you, Keith."

Now, Keith did look guilty. He took a few steps closer to Haley and put his hand on her arm, hoping that she would find the gesture comforting. Instead, she flinched and looked to Nathan for answers. She pushed aside her wet hair, getting it out of her face.

"What's going on, Nathan?"

"Hales, maybe we should sit down," Nathan pointed to a little wooden table in the basement.

"Don't. No. Nathan, I want some answers. Keith, Lily and Karen, they think you're dead. They grieved for you."

"I know, Haley. I know they do. Don't think for a second that I don't miss them every single day. I miss them like crazy."

Haley didn't say anything. She honestly didn't know what to say.

"Nathan tells me I have you thank for looking after them."

"They've looked after me," Haley said. It was the first thing that came to mind when she heard his words.

"I'm real sorry about Jimmy and Lydia. Your mom and dad, they were good people."

Haley just nodded. She felt Nathan gently take hold of her arm. Next thing she knew, she was sitting in a chair. Nathan wrapped a blanket around her shoulders after noticing that she was shivering. She looked at Nathan. She saw how nervous he was, but she also thought he looked relieved.

"You didn't want me in the basement because you didn't want me to find Keith."

Nathan nodded.

"You stayed here instead of coming with us to Karen's to stay with Keith."

Again, Nathan nodded.

"Has he been down in this basement the entire time?"

This time, Nathan shook his head. "He's been on a boat at the docks. That old one that Peyton's dad owns. It's been docked there for so long that no one pays any attention to it anymore. He's been there since we came back to Tree Hill. Knowing the storm was coming I went to the boat and brought him here. He couldn't stay in that boat during a hurricane." He was going to tell her everything. No more lies. Tonight, she would know everything that had been going on since the night his mother died.

"The boat. You told me that you were looking after it for Peyton. That's where you've been going in the middle of the night? To go see Keith?"

Nathan nodded.

"He brings me food and keeps me company," Keith added.

"I'll tell you everything, Haley. Just be patient with me. I know I don't deserve to ask you that, but please. I will tell you everything."

"Everything?"

"Everything," he repeated.

"This is gonna take a while," Keith observed as he hunkered down in an old armchair that had been brought down to the basement years earlier. "By the way, Haley, this knucklehead hasn't stopped talking about you in the past two months."

Despite her confusion over seeing Keith alive, Haley blushed.

Nathan decided to take a chance and after sitting down next to her, he took her hand. He was relieved when she didn't pull away.

"You should start at the beginning," she told him.

He nodded and looked down at the table, focusing on the wooden surface. "That night… The night my mother died, I was in my room. I heard my dad shouting, so I went downstairs to see what was going on. I stopped before I got down there. I could see him in the living room. I'd never seen him so angry before. Keith was there. My dad seemed to think that he and my mom were having an affair.

"My mom said she was leaving him. Keith was helping her. I guess… I guess when Karen said that they would help that my mom asked. I'm glad. I'm happy that she was getting out.

"Dan didn't want her to go. Next thing I knew, he pulled a gun and he shot them both. I watched him kill her and I couldn't do anything. I couldn't move. I couldn't say a word. When he left, I finally made it downstairs. I thought they both were dead, so I ran to Luke's. It was the only place I could think of to go."

Nathan's face was contorted in pain as he told his story. Forgetting her shock at seeing Keith, she moved her chair closer to him and put a hand on his cheek. "Nathan, I'm so sorry."

The comfort of her touch was just as it had been that night. It gave him the strength he needed to continue.

"Lucas left me there with you and went to the house. When he got there, he found Keith alive. He took Keith to Doc Durham. It was bad. For a while, we didn't know if Keith would make it. When I was with you, I thought Keith was dead. I thought he was dead when I left the house. I wouldn't have left him there if I knew he was alive," he said, needing her to know that.

"I know that, Nathan."

"Lucas got back to Karen's and told her that Keith was dead. I guess while the doc was helping Keith, Lucas came up with a plan. He didn't even tell me everything for a while. The reason Lucas came to Durham wasn't just to help me. He did it so that we could hide Keith from Dan.

"Lucas said that if Dan could murder his own wife and brother that there was no telling what he would do. He wouldn't go to the sheriff because Dan owns the sheriff. We all know it. They would have been no help.

"Lucas became a deputy so that he could try to take down Dan from the inside or something, I guess. I agreed to work at the club so that I could watch Dan. I keep waiting for him to slip up and give us anything on him. He's careful, though.

"Lucas never came back to Tree Hill or let Karen come to Durham because he didn't want anyone knowing that Keith was alive. Dan can't find that out and he can't know that I saw him do it. Lucas says that if he finds out that I know what he did that my life would be in danger too.

"Peyton coming with us was never part of the plan. She put her nose where it didn't belong and found out by accident. We were still hiding Keith and she just found him. Kind of like you did.

"I was rude to you when we came back to Tree Hill because I wanted you to stay away from me. Dan is dangerous. You shouldn't even be working at the club because he's dangerous. I know he's never done anything to you, but he's a murderer, Haley. If he finds out what Lucas and I have been up to then it could be really dangerous. That's why I was mean to you.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't tell you. I'm so sorry that I lied to you. I never wanted to lie to you, Haley. I was just trying to protect you. I don't want anything to ever happen to you. I won't let Dan do anything to you, I promise."

"Nathan, I'm not worried about me. Dan doesn't have a problem with me. But what you and Lucas are doing… Nathan, what you saw…" She leaned in and kissed him. It was the only thing she could think of to do. She could clearly see on his face just how hard it was for him to relive the night his mother died. His grip on her hand had gotten stronger and stronger as he continued his story. When he vowed to protect her, she had seen in his eyes that he meant every word of it.

They broke their kiss when they heard a snore from the corner. They looked over and saw that Keith was sleeping.

"He knows the story beginning to end. He probably got bored," Nathan guessed.

Haley stood up, confusing Nathan. She moved her chair so that it was right next to Nathan's. She sat again and draped her legs over his. She wrapped an arm around his neck and settled in. There were no more secrets. She now knew everything. She could feel the relief radiating off of his body as they held each other.

Nathan wasn't sure how long they sat like that, but neither was in a hurry to part. They would be there for a while waiting out the storm.

"You got me through that night," Nathan said quietly, not wanting to wake up Keith.

"What do you mean?" She looked up at him. He was looking at her with such intensity.

"You had no reason to be nice to me that night, but you held my hand and you comforted me. I got through that night because of you. I know it sounds crazy, but when we were in Durham and things would get hard, I would think of you. I've felt connected to you ever since I watched you help my mother and even more after that night.

"After my accident, when I lost baseball, I didn't handle it very well. It got bad. I stayed on the sofa all day and nursed bottle after bottle of whiskey. It was bad. One day, I stopped. I was drunk, but I could swear I saw you. You told me that I was better than that and I felt better. I felt better knowing that you had faith in me even if it was all in my head. So, I stopped drinking and I haven't had any since."

"Nathan…"

"You saved my life, Haley. Before we even had a full conversation. I wanted to be a better man so that I could be someone worthy of you even if I was trying to keep you out of my life."

"I have all the faith in the world in you, Nathan."

"Even when I was following you home, I just wanted to protect you, Haley. I'd rather die than let anything happen to you. You're everything. Even before we became friends, I just wanted you to be protected.

"Knowing how dangerous Dan is, I would understand it if you didn't want anything to do with me, Haley. I get it. I'll just be grateful for the time we've had."

"Nathan, that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. I'm not going anywhere."

He took a few moments to look at her. Everything was out in the open and she wasn't running away. She knew how messed up this situation was, but she was still here. There was still one thing left that he hadn't told her and he knew he had no reason not to tell her.

"I didn't think about the future until I became friends with you. The only thing that's been on my mind for two years was making Dan pay for what he did. Even playing baseball, I used it as a distraction so that I wouldn't go crazy. I lost that and only had revenge. Then, you came along. I started looking forward to things. I was happy. I started to think about the future and settling down. You're it for me. I love you, Haley. I'm in love with you. I am so in love with you that sometimes I can't see straight."

After all of the revelations that the day had brought, Haley wasn't expecting that. Tears were falling down her face, but she was smiling. He had lied to her, but he was being honest now. She could see that he was baring his soul to her. She knew him well and she knew that was something that was very difficult for him.

"My heart beats so fast when I'm around you, Nathan." She brought his hand to his chest so that he could feel. "Each night, it gets harder and harder to say goodnight because I crave you. I can't breathe when I'm with you, but in a good way. When I'm not with you, I want to be. I wake up in the morning and I think about you. I'm in love with you too.

"I'm in love with you, but I'm also worried about you, Nathan. Your father told you to stay away from me. He's told you twice and he basically threatened you the last time. Now, I know what he's capable of. He's a murderer. What is he going to do to you?"

"Haley, I'm not worried about that. He's not going to kill me over this."

"You don't know that."

"Haley, I will not let anything happen to us. I promise."

"Again, you don't know that, Nathan. The way I see it, there's only one thing for us to do."

"Haley, we're not breaking up. Not if we're in love."

"I'm not talking about that. We're going to take down Dan. I'm going to help."

Nathan stared at her, dumbfounded. "No," he finally said.

"No?"

"It's too dangerous. Haley, if you get hurt I would never forgive myself."

"I won't get hurt. Not with you at my side. I'm going to help you and Lucas. Peyton gets to help, doesn't she? The sooner we take care of Dan the better. Then we don't have to worry about him and we can live our lives and be happy. You're not talking me out of this."

Nathan knew he was defeated. She had a point about Peyton. Peyton was helping. She provided them with a place to hide Keith. "Lucas isn't going to like this," Nathan said.

"Lucas will just have to get over it. Whether you two like it or not, I'm in this now. I understand why you kept it from me and why you're keeping this from Karen. I hate it, Nathan. I hate knowing that he's alive and well and I can't tell her. I understand it, though. It'll be better for everyone involved if Dan gets what's coming to him as soon as possible. The way I see it, you and Lucas haven't made a lot of progress. You could use some help. But I need you to do something for me, Nathan."

"What's that?"

"Never lie to me again. Never keep anything from me again. I love you, Nathan. Please don't lie to me."

"I felt so sick about lying to you, Haley. I hated it. I don't want to lie to you ever again. I just wanted to protect you. I won't do it again, I promise."

"You'd better not," she said, resting her head on his shoulder.

"You look beautiful, Hales. I love you."

"I love you too, but I'm a mess. I went out in a hurricane, remember?"

"You're beautiful. You should trust me. I just promised never to lie to you again."

She looked at Keith in the corner, still asleep. "He sleeps like a log, doesn't he?"

"You have no idea. I get to the boat some nights and wait forever for him to wake up."

"We've got to get him back to his family, Nathan. They miss him. Karen is so strong, but I know she misses him and I know it hurts."

"I know. I think about that a lot. I think of it whenever I have dinner with Karen. I know it's not fair."

Haley remembered something that Keith had said earlier. She put her hand on his stomach and her head was still on his shoulder.

"So, Keith said you've been talking about me."

"We talk when I go to see him. He's good company. I needed someone to talk to about how I felt about you and I wasn't comfortable with Lucas. Not about that. He thinks of you as his sister."

"I'm glad you had someone to talk to. I had Karen for that."

"I guess if I didn't come from such a messed up family I could have talked to my dad."

"If I still had my mom I would have talked to her. You know, she told me that you probably had a reason for being a jerk and that maybe you just needed a chance."

"She did?"

"She did. She said maybe I should give you a chance."

"My dad always told me that Lucas was the enemy. He said that me and him, we were Scott men and we were better than others. He said we had to remind others of that. I shouldn't have listened to him. I just wanted him to like me. I thought that he liked Lucas more because I found a box of pictures and stuff about Lucas when I was little. It made me angry."

"You're a far better man than your father will ever be, Nathan. Believe that."

"You make me believe that."

"Good."

They fell asleep like that, in each other's arms. It was hours later when they finally woke up. They were comfortable in each other's arms, but sleeping on those chairs wasn't the best idea. Still, they both woke up feeling happy. They woke up and immediately kissed. They didn't notice Keith over in the corner until he cleared his throat.

"Morning, lovebirds."

"I'll go upstairs to see if the storm has passed," Nathan announced. "I don't hear anything."

"Guess I should stay down here," Keith said.

"Sorry about that, Keith. If anyone saw you…"

"I know. I'm used to it by now."

Haley and Nathan both looked at Keith sympathetically. Nathan nodded and walked upstairs.

"It's a miracle you're here," Haley told Keith as they sat together.

"Yes, I suppose it is. How are they, Haley?"

"They're doing well." Haley didn't have to ask who he meant. She knew. "Lily is getting so big. She's really taken to Nathan, too. She's learning and she's such a sweet little girl."

"No doubt in my mind."

"I could bring you a picture. Karen keeps a few in the kitchen of the café. I'll sneak one away for you."

"Would you? I sure would love that, Haley."

"Of course." She felt her stomach rumble and was reminded of the fact that she hadn't eaten in a while. "I'm going to grab some food. I'll get you something, Keith."

Haley first walked into the hallway, looking for Nathan. She found him standing by a mirror. His shirt was lifted up and he was examining a spot on his back. Haley frowned seeing the black and blue skin.

Nathan saw Haley's reflection in the mirror and smiled. "Storm seems to have passed," he said.

She strode toward him, "Take off your shirt, Nathan."

"What?"

"Take off your shirt. What is that one your back?"

"I'm fine, Haley."

"Let me look," she grabbed his hand and dragged him into the kitchen. She sat in a chair but left him standing. She lifted his shirt. Knowing he wasn't going to stop her, Nathan unbuttoned his shirt, removed it, and then pulled his undershirt from his body.

Haley looked at the large bruise on his back, concerned. "What happened?"

"When I went to the boat to get Keith I fell. I landed on something. It's fine, Haley. It's not a big deal." He closed his eyes when he felt her fingers gently moving over the discolored skin.

"Does it hurt?"

"It's just a little sore. I'm fine. I promise."

"Good. I don't want you hurt." She stood up and hugged him from behind. Her hands were on his stomach, feeling the muscles underneath it. She was vaguely aware that she could no longer hear the storm outside. She felt the warmth of Nathan's back against her cheek and she placed a soft kiss on his back. One hand was rubbing up and down his chest. Her eyes were closed, but they opened when she felt Nathan turning around. She kept her arms around his torso.

"Hi," he said.

"Hello. I love you, Nathan."

"I love you too." He dipped his head and kissed her. Instinctively, her lips parted and she felt his tongue. Nathan pulled apart soon, though. Haley touching him had felt so good, but he wasn't going to get carried away in the middle of Peyton's kitchen when he was half undressed. He wouldn't do that to Haley. The two spent several moments just looking into each other's eyes, their faces mere inches apart.

"Are we interrupting anything?" Lucas watched his brother and his best friend in shock. Nathan was standing in the middle of the kitchen without his shirt on and Haley was holding onto him for dear life.

Nathan tried to pull away, but Haley wouldn't move her arms from around him.

"Haley, we were all worried about you," Peyton told her. "Brooke and Julian said you found out about Nathan and then ran off. We all hoped that you would be here and safe."

Haley finally let go of Nathan so that he could put his shirt back on.

"What's with the bruise, little brother?"

"I fell on the boat," Nathan explained.

Lucas's eyes went wide at how freely Nathan spoke about the boat. Haley noticed it.

"I know about Keith," she said. "I know everything."

"Everything?" Lucas's eyes were still wide.

"Lucas and I figured that if you were here you would probably find out about Keith," Peyton admitted. "How is he?"

"He's fine. Slept through most of the storm," Nathan answered.

"You probably have some questions," Lucas acknowledged, looking at Haley.

"Actually, no. Nathan told me everything." Haley turned to the kitchen counter and began making a plate of sandwiches. Nathan saw what she was doing and began to help her.

From behind them, Lucas and Peyton watched. They couldn't help but feel like they were on the outside. For so long, Haley had been the one on the outside. They hadn't wanted to shut her out, but they all believed that they were keeping her safe. Now, they watched Nathan and Haley work together. They saw the closeness between the two. They had seen more than they ever intended when they walked in the house. Now, they were the ones feeling somewhat left out.

Finishing the sandwiches, Haley carried the plate down into the basement. She hadn't forgotten that she promised to bring Keith some food. Everyone followed behind her.

"Keith," Lucas greeted his uncle. "Everything okay?"

"Woke up to these two necking, but I'm just swell," Keith joked.

Haley blushed, but didn't say anything. "We have some things to talk about," Haley announced. "Nathan told me your plan and you don't seem like you're making very good progress."

"We're working on it, Haley," Lucas said.

"Work harder. Keith needs to get back to his family and none of you are safe while you're doing this."

"You aren't either now that you know," Peyton pointed out.

"I'm going to help you," Haley said.

"No," Lucas told her.

"Funny, that's what Nathan said when I told him. You aren't shutting me out of this, Lucas. I get why you left and now I get why you never came back even when I needed you. This whole thing you all have going on, you're not keeping me from it. Do you understand? You're getting my help. We're taking down Dan and the sooner the better."

"I tried to talk her out of it," Nathan mumbled.

"That didn't work. I'm going to help you and I have a plan."

"You have a plan?" Lucas was bewildered. "After one night of knowing about everything, you have a plan?"

"She was always the smart one," Peyton quipped.

"We need some more input. By all means, let's hear her," Keith commented.

"What's your plan, Hales?" Nathan put his arm around her and reached for a sandwich.

"We search Dan's office," she stated as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

* * *

><p><strong>Notes:<strong> Phew. So, I've planned for Keith to be alive when this was still in its earliest planning stages. That maybe gives a little insight into why Lucas was distant and also why he feels like he has to take charge of everything. This was also a huge chapter for Naley, so I hope you enjoyed their "I love yous". Thanks for reading and reviewing!


	18. Part of Each Other

**Disclaimer: **One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Note:** I am so, so sorry. I never intended for that update to take two weeks. The new semester started, so I've been a little busy. I hope you enjoy this one. :)

* * *

><p>"Can I ask you something?" Haley was sitting with Nathan on the couch of her apartment. It had been a week since the hurricane. In that week, Lucas had tried to talk Haley out of helping. He had also asked Nathan to talk Haley out of helping. The idea of Haley getting in so deep didn't sit well with Nathan, but he also knew that she was strong-willed and stubborn. She wasn't going to give up on this. There was also a part of him that hoped that with her help, they might actually get somewhere in their investigation. They had spent much of the week meeting and vaguely discussing plans to search Dan's office at the club.<p>

The couple were now sitting in her apartment and waiting for Lucas to join them. It was late and Lucas was still at work. Nathan and Haley had just returned from work. They were going to finalize their plans.

Nathan hadn't been to the docks to visit Keith all week because Keith was no longer on the boat. The docks had gotten the brunt of the storm's damage and at the moment, it was crawling with people. The whole town seemed to be out helping to clean up the docks. Taking Keith back to the boat wouldn't have worked. He would have been spotted. So, it was decided that for the time being, he would stay in the basement. He assured them that if anyone visited the house, which he could easily hear from the basement, he would be quieter than a mouse.

Haley had gone to visit Keith a few times. She had a wonderful excuse to visit Peyton's house. She was friends with Lucas and Peyton and she was dating Nathan. A few days that week, Haley and Nathan had had lunch with Keith. Nathan noticed that Keith's mood had brightened. One more person knowing that he was alive seemed to make him happy. He could feel how happy Keith was when, two days after the storm, Haley had brought a picture of Karen and Lily with her. Nathan swore he saw tears in Keith's eyes. When he asked Keith about it, his uncle had confirmed it.

"You can ask me anything, Hales."

"Why did you guys decide to come back to Tree Hill when you did?"

"Oh, well, it was mostly to do with Luke's job. It kind of worked out since I wasn't in school anymore. If I was still playin' ball and in school, it would have been another two years. When Lucas joined the force in Durham, he mentioned to them that someday he'd like to transfer to Tree Hill. Not long after my knee, they asked him if he was still interested in that. A deputy left here, so Lucas got the job.

"It happened real quickly too. We packed up, left Durham, snuck Keith in and that's it."

"I'm glad you're here now," she leaned in and kissed him. Nathan turned his body so that he was leaning into her. He nipped at her lower lip and she moaned. He pulled away, though, knowing his brother would be there soon.

"You were great tonight," he told her.

"I had a lot of fun performing tonight, actually."

"I liked that one song you sang, something about 'if I didn't have you.'"

"That's actually the title of the song, "If I Didn't Have You.""

"Well, I liked it. Peyton and I think you could be a big singing star on the radio."

"You and Peyton are far too kind. Besides, I don't want that. I love singing and I do love being on stage, but I want a quieter life."

"School? Family?"

"Both of those things. I don't know, I think if I ever get to school that I would eventually like to teach. I think I could be good at it."

"You're the smartest person I know. I know you'd be great at it."

"Oh, you're very charming. I love you."

"I love you too."

Nathan leaned down and kissed her again but didn't pull away so quickly this time. He left his hand on her cheek as his thumb moved back and forth on her soft skin. Haley deepened the kiss and leaned up so that she could reach him better. Her hand was on his arm, playing with the fabric of his sleeve and also feeling the warm skin of his arm.

Haley backed away, but kept her eyes closed. She was smiling. Nathan's hand was still on her cheek and it felt so good.

"So, this is what it's like," she said.

"What?"

"My mother used to tell me what being in love was like. She said that it was all consuming. She said that it made everything feel better and brighter. I didn't realize it would feel quite like this. I didn't know that it would feel this good. I feel like I could take on the world, Nathan. I don't want this feeling to ever go away."

"It won't," he said. "I feel the same way."

A knock on the door ended their conversation. Haley stood up and straightened out her dress, knowing that it was a little out of place after the kisses she and Nathan had shared. She tried straightening out her hair and noticed a smirk on Nathan's face. She thought she should maybe be annoyed with him, but she couldn't help smiling. The smile was still on her face when she opened the door.

Lucas stood there looking a little sheepish. His uniform coat was unbuttoned and his hat was under his arm.

"Evening, Haley," he said. "Nathan," he nodded.

Nathan stood up and went and got the small chair that was at Haley's table. He set it near the sofa and went back and sat with Haley. Lucas sat across from them in the chair. He noticed how comfortable his brother looked in Haley's apartment. The protective side of him wasn't sure that it was a good idea for Nathan to be in Haley's apartment. If it weren't the middle of the night, people could see them and that would get tongues wagging.

Still, Haley had told him more than once – especially during the past week – that her personal life was none of his business. She reminded him that he moved on with his life and while she understood his reasons, she said that it didn't give him a right to become territorial and bossy when it came to her life.

Haley had a way of speaking to him and what she had said during the week had made Lucas feel bad. He was realizing that he may not have handled the situation with Keith in the best possible way. He wasn't sure what else he should have done. When he came up with this plan he was just a seventeen year-old boy just out of high school. He did the best he could have done. Now, seeing Haley and realizing that she was living this life without him and without his help, he couldn't help but feel like he had made mistakes when it came to his friend. He was starting to realize that he had taken her for granted. He took her loyalty and her strength for granted.

"So, you think we should do this sooner rather than later," Lucas began to say.

Haley nodded her head and then took over the conversation. "Tomorrow night, actually. I began speaking to Julian earlier this week."

"You got Julian involved?" Lucas ran a hand over his face.

"Of course not, Lucas. While we were cleaning up the café, I casually mentioned that I would like to be able to use the club's piano at some point. I mentioned it again during the week and earlier today, I asked him if I could use his key to the club.

"My idea is that tomorrow night, when we're finished closing, I'll tell Julian that Nathan and I are staying behind so that I can use the piano and work on some other arrangements."

"Won't Julian find that suspicious?"

"No. He knows how controlling Chris can be about the arrangements. Before I even said anything, he said he figured it would be better to work without him. He knows Nathan walks me home every night, so he won't think anything of it. Nathan and I will stay behind to lock up. You'll come in the back entrance.

"It will be the middle of the night, so no one will be around. We'll have some time, but I think we should still be quick about it. The three of us will search Dan's office and try to find something."

"I don't know."

"Lucas, it's the best plan that's come up since we got here. It's been almost five months and we haven't gotten close to Dan. This gets us closer than we've gotten before," Nathan defended Haley's plan.

"You're right," Lucas admitted. "It's something. Don't you feel like you're playing Julian a little?"

"Julian is a good man. This is for a good cause. He won't get into any trouble for it. If he ever finds out what we've done, he'll understand."

"Okay," Lucas said. "Tomorrow night."

"The sooner we get this over with the better. Especially with Dan threatening Nathan."

Lucas's eyes went wide. "What? Nathan, you didn't tell me he was threatening you. What the hell, Nathan?"

"Lucas, calm down," Nathan pleaded.

"I'm sorry," Haley whispered to Nathan, putting her hand on his arm.

"It's fine," he assured her. "He hasn't really threatened me, Lucas."

"What has he said, Nathan?"

"He just told me to stay away from Haley. He basically said he didn't want to have the conversation a third time."

"So, after he told you not to see her, he told you again?"

"Yes."

"Nathan, why didn't you mention it?"

"Because I'm not worried about it, Lucas. He doesn't get to tell me what to do. I think he actually knows that. When I told him that I could make my own decisions, he threatened to fire me. That was weeks ago and he hasn't fired me. He's bluffing. And before you suggest it, I am not staying away from Haley. I love her."

"I wasn't going to suggest it. I know even if I did you two wouldn't listen."

"No, we wouldn't," Haley agreed. "Our relationship isn't up to anyone but us. We love each other. That's all there is to it."

Lucas laughed. "I never thought I would be sitting here listening to the two of you declaring your love. Things have really changed, haven't they?"

"For the better," Nathan said, smiling down at Haley.

"By the way, Nathan, I'm not really sure if you should be up here. People might talk if they saw you."

Haley rolled her eyes. "Lucas, you are not my father."

"I know that, Haley. I'm just looking out for you."

"You don't have to worry about me. I can take care of myself."

"And if she can't, she has me," Nathan added.

"Okay. Okay. We'd better get going, Nathan."

Nathan and Haley shared a look and Haley tightened her hold on Nathan. She shook her head ever so slightly.

"I'm going to stay here for a little longer," Nathan told his brother. "I'll see you at the house tomorrow."

"He can be so controlling sometimes. Just like my brothers," Haley said after Lucas had left. She rejoined Nathan on the couch and leaned against him. "Are you hungry? I could make something to eat."

"I'm fine," he told her. "I just want to stay like this."

Haley looked up and smiled at him. She bit her lip before leaning in and bringing her lips to his. She moved so that she was sitting up more so that she could reach him better. Grabbing hold of his vest, she used it for leverage to get closer than she was to him. She put her hand at the back of his neck, playing with the hairs at the nape of his neck. She moaned when she felt his tongue pushing against her lips. Granting him entrance, his tongue massaged hers.

Nathan's hands grabbed hold of her waist. He slid down on the sofa so he was laying down more with her on top of him. One hand traveled up her back and he buried it in her hair. It was still up in a series of complicated curls that were now coming undone as Nathan gently grabbed hold of her head, trying to keep her close to him.

He suddenly felt Haley suck on his tongue that was in her mouth and he growled. The hand that wasn't at his neck went to his waist. She felt him through his shirt, wanting to feel more, but knowing that wasn't possible without getting his shirt out from his trousers. Even in her hazy mind, she knew that she couldn't do that. Still, she felt herself losing control and having his hands on her, she wanted his hand to move even higher. She wanted him to touch her.

Aware that she was crossing a line, she lifted the skirt of her dress a little higher so that she could spread her legs further. She was now sitting even more on his lap, but her lips didn't move away from his. She soon found that his lips were leaving hers and they were traveling down his neck. He pulled her dress aside so that he could get to more of her neck. He began suckling on the skin there, causing her to moan and arch into him.

When Haley arched into him, her breasts pushing against his chest, she felt the evidence of his arousal between her legs. It caused her to again moan. Her eyelids were heavy, but she opened them. Slowly, she pulled away and looked down between them, seeing the tenting in his trousers. Looking back up at him, she saw that he was about to open his mouth. No doubt he was going to apologize.

Haley placed her finger to his lips and kissed him softly before pulling away from him again. "I love you," she told him, wanting to reassure him.

"I'm-," he began.

"I love you, Nathan. I love you."

He nodded his head. "Maybe I should go. We do have a busy night tomorrow."

"We do," she agreed. "We could probably use some sleep."

"Haley, a part of me wishes you didn't know this because I don't want you to get hurt. I don't know what I'd do if anything ever happened to you. But, there's another part of me, and it's kinda selfish, that's glad I have you to share this with."

"The good and the bad, Nathan. We're together through everything."

"Everything," he repeated. "I am sorry about earlier."

"You weren't going to be happy until you could apologize, were you?"

"I didn't mean to, Haley."

"Nathan, I didn't mind."

"I didn't want to push you."

"I'm pretty sure that I'm the one who started kissing you."

"Still. I should have known better. I respect you, Hales."

"Nathan, can you do something for me?"

"Anything," he quickly answered.

"Stop apologizing for everything. Stop feeling so guilty so often around me. You haven't hurt me, Nathan. You know, that night, and I know we mention it often, but that night you apologized if you were ever mean to me. You weren't; not really. You tried to protect me when you came back to Tree Hill. So, stop apologizing. I love you."

He nodded. He knew he should listen to her. The old Nathan made no apologies for who he was. With Haley, he was regaining his confidence but he still sometimes felt incredibly insecure. Haley gave him no reason to feel that way. In fact, she made him feel better than ever.

"I have something for you," Haley told him. She stood up and went behind the partition that separated her bedroom from the rest of the apartment. Nathan could hear her rifling through a drawer and he waited patiently for her to come back. He didn't have to wait long. She came back, both of her hands behind her back. She sat down next to him, as she had been before. She put her right leg underneath her and straightened out the skirt of her dress. All the while, Nathan could see that her left hand was clasped around something.

Haley took hold of his hand and opened it, facing his palm upward. She placed a small metallic item in his hand and bit her lip. She watched him nervously as he looked down at the item in his hand.

"It's a key," he said.

Haley nodded her head. "It's a key to the café, actually. I was talking to Karen and she told me how much she liked the fact that you walk me home every night. She said it made her feel better about me working at the club. She also reminded me that she feels uncomfortable with me here by myself at night. So, she suggested that you have a key. She said she'd feel safer knowing that there was one more person who could check on me," Haley shrugged.

"I've been fine here for a while now," she continued. "I do love that she trusts you. I love that you now have this. I don't know, I guess it just makes me feel a little closer to you. I didn't know that was possible. We're already, well…"

"Part of each other," Nathan finished.

Haley nodded her head. "If you're uncomfortable having it, that's fine. I understand."

"I don't feel uncomfortable," he told her. "I really should get going, though."

"You're right," she agreed.

They said goodnight, Haley walking Nathan downstairs despite his protests that he could now lock the door himself. Going back upstairs, Haley stopped by the sink. Turning on the tap, she felt the cold water against her fingers. She bent down to the sink and gathered as much of the cold water in her hands before splashing it on her face. She let out a sigh and placed a little water on the back of her neck.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Dan was driving through Tree Hill. The sun was just rising. He could feel how cool it was getting. This was one of the rare times when he wasn't being chauffeured around town. This was an errand he had wanted to go on by himself. He paused when he was about a block away from Karen's Café. He could see in the window. At this hour, there was no one walking through Tree Hill.<p>

Yet, inside the café, Dan watched as two young people worked side by side. He watched as Haley, the young girl who worked for him and who he promised to take care of, worked behind the counter. He watched as his son, who seemed to want nothing to do with him anymore, swept a broom across the floor.

Dan wasn't sure how long he sat there watching the two of them. It had to have been a while. Dan saw them kiss from time to time. What struck him most was that throughout the entire time he watched them, they were both smiling. He stared and stared at them, knowing that they hadn't noticed him. He wondered what his son was doing at the café that early. His grip on the steering wheel tightened. Not wanting to see anymore, he put the car in gear and drove toward his destination.

It was a short drive. Dan knew the route like the back of his hand. He parked the car and got out, straightening his coat as he stepped onto the grass, which was still wet with the morning dew. His feet created imprints on the wet grass. He left a trail leading to the headstone in the back of the empty cemetery. He kept his hands behind his back and looked out in the distance, not wanting to look at the name on the headstone.

"It's your fault you're here, Keith. You took what was mine. I didn't want to do it to you. I would have preferred to leave you alone. First Karen and then Deb. You did this, Keith. You did this. You left Karen a widow. You left your daughter."

* * *

><p>Julian was the last of the employees to leave, just as he was every night. He nodded to Nathan and Haley before leaving. Haley locked the door behind him and turned to Nathan. She looked all around the club. It looked so different when it was closed. Instead of the dim lighting and the fully adorned stage, the lights were almost completely out. A small lamp was on that overlooked Chris's piano. Nathan and Haley had left one light on at the bar as well. It was a dark, cavernous space.<p>

Haley took Nathan's hand, feeling his calloused palm in her small hand. She led him to the bar. She went to the cupboard and started going through it. She emerged triumphantly, a large smile on her face. She set the object on top of the bar.

"We have some time before Lucas gets here, right?"

"Yes," Nathan confirmed. "We have about fifteen minutes."

"Not quite enough time, but it will do." Haley picked up the few records she had and began looking through them. She picked one out and put it on the turntable. She went back to Nathan and took his hand again. She placed it behind her back and placed her other hand in his.

"Dance with me," she requested.

"Hales. I love you; I do. I'm not so good with dancing."

"You're going to dance with me, Nathan Scott. Just hold my hand. All you have to do is shuffle your feet a little bit and hold me."

"Shuffle my feet and hold you? Well, I can definitely hold you. We'll see about the other part."

They did just that, swaying to the music. Haley rested her head on Nathan's chest. She could hear his heart beating steadily. She loved the way his hand felt against the small of her back.

"See, you can dance," she told him, not moving her head from his chest. Her eyes were closed and she reveled in the feeling of being so close to him. She felt like she was floating.

"I can shuffle my feet and I can hold you," he corrected her.

"Well, I say we're dancing," she protested.

"Peyton told me that I should learn that you'll always be right."

Haley chuckled a little. "She's looking out for me."

They pulled apart when they heard a knock on the door toward the back of the café. Nathan walked to it as quickly as he could. He pressed his ear against the wood and half whispered, half yelled. "Who is it?"

"It's Lucas," he heard from the other side.

Nathan opened it and ushered Lucas inside. He quickly poked his head outside, looking from left to right to see if anyone was there.

"I was careful," Lucas said. "No one is out there and no one saw me." Lucas took a look around the club. He'd never been in there before. "I always pictured it differently."

"It looks a lot different when we're open," Haley told him.

"What is that?" Lucas pointed to a bag draped over a chair.

"That's my gown from tonight," Haley explained.

Lucas looked to the stage. It was barely visible in the small light coming from Chris's piano. The curtains were drawn and none of the bandstand could be seen.

"We'd best hurry," Nathan told them. He led them in the direction of Dan's office. He looked over his shoulder at them both, confirming that they were doing what they planned on. When no one protested, he opened the door.

Haley strode quickly to Dan's desk and switched on the light. It wasn't much, but the truth was that all three felt better with only a small amount of light. They didn't want to be caught.

"Put everything back the way you found it," Haley ordered. They nodded in agreement and they all got to looking around. Haley was going through the shelf against the wall, looking behind books and sometimes even in them. Nathan and Lucas were looking through Dan's desk.

"One of us should try to get in the safe," Haley said.

Nathan and Lucas stopped what they were doing. Nathan stood up straight. "What safe?"

Haley pointed to the painting on Dan's wall. "The safe behind the painting."

"There's a safe back there?" Nathan walked toward it and lifted the painting from the wall. He set it on the ground, leaning it against the sofa. "There's a safe back here! This must have been what he was doing when I came in here."

"You said that he was straightening the painting," Lucas remembered. "What do you think the combination is?"

"His birthday?" Nathan really had no idea. He turned the lock, using the digits of his father's birthday. Nothing happened. He took a chance and tried his mother's birthday, his parents's anniversary, his birthday, and he even asked Lucas for Karen's birthday.

"Three, twenty-three, thirty-three," Haley suggested.

Nathan and Lucas just stared at her.

"Your jersey numbers," she explained. "Just try it."

Nathan did what his girlfriend said. He was relieved and nervous when he heard the lock click open. "I should have listened to Peyton. You are always right."

"You can tell me how right I am later. What's in there?"

Nathan put his hand in the safe and felt around for whatever was in there. His hand brushed against what felt like a book. He pulled it out and turned to the two others. Their searches of the desk and shelf were forgotten. They looked at Nathan with the book in his hand.

"It looks like a ledger," Lucas observed. "Open it."

Nathan opened it and saw, in his father's handwriting, lists of names, dates, amounts, and some letters. He wasn't sure what the letters were. Next to each name and date were letter combinations such as BR, WH, BO, SC, GI, and BE along with another number.

"It is a ledger," Lucas said, taking it from Nathan's hands. "I recognize some of these names. All these amounts… I think it's money they owed him. This ledger dates back to 1931.

"What are the letters for?" Haley looked over Lucas's shoulder.

The three of them thought, trying to quickly come up with suggestions for what these letters could mean to Dan. It was Nathan who spoke up first.

"Alcohol," he stated, plainly and simply. "We know he was involved in bootlegging, right? It's what Mouth has been writing about. BR for brandy, WH for whiskey, BO for bourbon, SC for scotch, GI is gin, and BE is beer. What else could it be?"

"He's right, Lucas. The numbers next to the letters must be how much of each went to each person. This is it."

"Well, we can't take this ledger with us," Lucas pointed out.

"No," Haley agreed, "but we can try to come back and write it down maybe?"

"This is what we needed. Right, Lucas?" Nathan looked up at his brother with hope and optimism in his eyes.

"It's exactly what we needed. This is a federal offense. Dan can't buy off the whole FBI. Now we just have to figure out how to get the ledger out of here and not tip Dan off. Did you find anything else in there?"

Nathan went back to the safe and felt around. He reached in the back and pulled out a stack of photographs. The three looked through them. They found pictures of Karen when she was younger as well as pictures of Nathan and Lucas.

"Why does he still have pictures of my mom?" Lucas held a photograph of his mother between his fingers.

"He's still in love with her," Nathan stated. "It's obvious."

"He came into the café once. It was after you guys left and Keith died. Well, we thought he died. Dan offered to help Karen in any way he could. She sent him away."

"That could have been guilt talking," Lucas suggested.

"Or maybe a little of both," Nathan added.

"We should get going," Haley told them. "Start putting things back. Remember, exactly as we found them. Lucas, you'll go out the back door just like you came. Nathan and I will go out the front and lock up."

* * *

><p>In the basement, Keith was pacing. He had just heard everything that Lucas had told them that they'd found in Dan's office. Keith felt like he was itching to get out of that basement. He had been locked up and kept away for far too long.<p>

"Two and a half years, Luke. Can I see that ledger?"

"I couldn't take it out of Dan's office," Lucas admitted.

"Why not?"

"Because then he'd know we were there. We'll figure something out, Keith."

"Lucas, I love you. You saved my life and you've kept me safe all this time. But I want to get back to my wife and my daughter. I miss them. I've been locked up for too long. No man should live like this."

Lucas felt guilty, knowing that his uncle was right. "I will do everything I can to get you out of here, Keith. The basement is better than the boat, though, right?"

Keith glared. "I get to see you all more often, I guess. There's more room. It's nice seein' Haley. She's good about giving me updates on your mom and Lily. None of you are Karen and Lily, Lucas. You wouldn't understand. It's like Dan took them from me. If I could just get my hands on him…"

"You'd do what, Keith?"

"I don't know," Keith sighed. "Finish what he started."

"You have to stay away from him. It's not safe. We're so close."

"It's a good thing you two knuckleheads listened to Haley."

Lucas chuckled. "I think she could convince Nathan to do anything she asked. Peyton told him that Haley will always be right. I think he believes her."

"Don't be so quick to dismiss your wife. Haley's a smart girl. It's thanks to her that we've made it further than we have yet. And she's made a world of difference with your brother."

Lucas was sitting in the chair opposite Keith. He looked down at the concrete floor of the basement. "I've never seen Nathan happy like this. It's like he's a different person."

"Like I told you, she's good for him. Peyton tells me you keep trying to play the protective older brother."

"I can't help it. I know I should mind my own business, but this is all just so new. They are happy, though."

* * *

><p>There was a bar ten miles outside of Tree Hill. It was open until the wee hours of the morning. The residents of Tree Hill didn't think that Dan Scott's nightclub was a place for respectable people. They believed that people of a lower class spent their time there. Dan Scott's club was almost like a church compared to this out of the way bar. It was situated on the Cape Fear River. The ramshackle structure looked like it had been pieced together from random pieces of lumber. It was a miracle that it survived the hurricane that recently passed through, because it looked like a sneeze could bring it tumbling down.<p>

Two kinds of people frequented that bar. One were the types that didn't want to be seen. The other were the type who didn't care if they were seen. The two men sitting together at the far end of the bar weren't sure which type they were. One was there because he needed a drink and Dan's was closed. The other was there because he couldn't chance setting foot in Dan's club. Both were there because they knew if they saw Dan Scott, they would probably try to kill him.

"Have you been watching your back like I told you?" Cooper downed a shot and indicated for the bartender to pour him another.

"More or less," Mouth answered. "I don't have much time to do anything else."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I, my friend, lost my job. And I know exactly who is behind it."

"Dan," Cooper said, his voice dripping with venom. "What happened?"

Mouth shrugged. His voice was slurred as he spoke, "I wrote an article. He talked to the editor. The next morning, I didn't have a job. I hate Dan Scott."

"Join the club. I've got a feeling it's a lot bigger than we ever thought. Do you have any idea what he's taken from me? Everything that could have made me happy is gone because of him."

"I loved my job," Mouth slurred. "I loved it. It's what I always wanted to do. It's gone because of him. It's the only thing I ever really loved. He gets everything he wants."

"And anyone who gets in his way suffers. Even if they're not in his way, if he wants them to be miserable, he'll do it."

Mouth looked at Cooper, trying to study the man. He leaned forward, nearly falling off of his barstool.

"How many have you had, brother?"

"Just the one," Mouth hiccupped. He finished the drink in one quick motion before slamming his glass on the bar. "If I got the chance to, Dan Scott wouldn't bother anyone else in this town ever again."

"Get in line," Cooper muttered.

* * *

><p>Nathan unlocked the door to the café, using his own key. Hand in hand, he and Haley walked upstairs. They quietly settled on the couch, Nathan's arms wrapped around her. His hand moved up and down her arm, sending tingles throughout her body.<p>

"I'm really proud of you, Hales," he told her.

"For what?"

"Well, you're brave and you're smart. You suggested – no, you insisted – that we search Dan's office. You jumped into this with both feet and haven't looked back. It's thanks to you that we found that ledger and now we know that we can put Dan in prison. He won't have anyone backing him up after this. They won't be able to. It's because of you."

"It isn't, Nathan. I may have gotten you in there, but you're the one that figured out what those letters were."

"Without you, we would have never known that there was a safe, Hales," he argued.

"Why don't we both just acknowledge that we both helped out and that things are looking up?"

"Okay, we'll do that. I'm still really proud of you for doing this. You're something special, Haley James. I'm lucky to have you."

Haley leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, feeling the beginnings of stubble against her lips. "I'm just as lucky to have you. I just want this weight to be lifted from you, Nathan. You've lived with this in your heart for far too long. I'm helping for you and for Keith. I can't imagine what it's like for him to be locked away from the people he loves the most. I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't see you."

"You'll never have to find out. You're the most selfless person I know."

"Selfless? Who woke up early this morning to start setting up the café before I even woke up? If I knew you would use your key for that…"

"What? You wouldn't have given it to me?"

"Well, no. I love that you have it. I love that I woke up and found you downstairs helping out. I love you. Just don't make a habit of it. One of us should get to sleep in."

"You work too hard, Hales."

"I know. We've had this discussion. It's not going to stop anytime soon, Nathan."

"I know I can't talk you out of it. So, when I can, I'm going to help you out. You're just going to have to deal with it, Hales."

Haley smiled. She loved this man. She could feel just how much he wanted to take every burden from her life. She could feel it with everything in her. When she had walked downstairs to find him sweeping the floors, her smile had spread from ear to ear. She immediately jumped into his arms and kissed him. If she hadn't had to work, she would have taken him upstairs.

After they had set up the café, she had gone upstairs to finish readying herself for the day. When she came back downstairs, she found Nathan on the phone. She looked at him curiously and quirked an eyebrow when she heard him say her sister's name. Haley sat at the counter as Nathan finished his conversation with Vivian before handing Haley the phone.

Haley had been happy to know that Nathan was talking to Vivian and that he was getting along with her. Vivian had been the only one to get very many details about Haley's relationship with Nathan. Mostly, they wrote letters. Occasionally, Vivian would call. She knew that Haley woke up early and that she could call before the café opened. Knowing how well Nathan was getting along with her family made Haley love him even more. She hoped her other siblings would react the same.

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> Thanks for your patience with me. And thank you for reading and reviewing!


	19. A Little You or a Little Me

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Notes:** I never plan on this taking so long. It just happens. There's a lot going on right now. I can't promise that updates will come more quickly. I will try to update whenever I can though. Thanks for your patience!

* * *

><p>Keith was in a bad mood. Nathan could see that as he sat with his uncle in the basement. The two were sharing a newspaper, but Nathan noticed that Keith barely glanced at his.<p>

"I'm sure I know the answer, but is there any news on that damn ledger?" Keith kept his eyes on the newspaper, but wasn't truly reading it.

"Sorry, Keith."

"I shouldn't have even asked. Finding that ledger was pointless," Keith spewed.

"Keith, we're trying."

"I know you are, Nathan. Thanksgiving is tomorrow, did you realize that? This will be the third without my wife and daughter. The longer I'm away from them and the longer Dan walks around… With everything he did up until he shot me, I never hated him. I'm starting to hate my brother. I hate that I hate him."

"Keith, I know-," Nathan was interrupted.

"Don't you dare tell me you know how I feel, Nathan. You don't. You know nothing about what I'm feeling."

"I wasn't going to say that, Keith. I know I don't know. I don't know what I would do if I couldn't see Haley. I don't even want to think about that."

"Hopefully you won't ever have to. Peyton tells me that Dan isn't too happy about your relationship."

Nathan shook his head and set his paper down after folding it. He scratched the back of his head and looked up to find his uncle looking at him curiously. He took a deep breath before looking at Keith nervously. "Did you ever get the feeling that Dan still had feelings for Karen?"

Keith let out a loud, booming laugh. There was no mirth in it. The laugh was filled with bitterness, knowing, and anger. "I know he does. Nathan, right before he shot me, he told me that I stole Karen for him. Danny, he doesn't love. He's absolutely lousy at it. But, as much as he could, he loved Karen. He just loved himself more. Why are you asking?"

"Well, the last time he told me not to see Haley he told me that I would get her pregnant. It's like he thought that I was gonna do what he did. I don't know. Haley also says that he watches out for her while she's there. She tells me that he's actually been good to her and I haven't seen otherwise.

"She stood up to him once, Keith. In front of everyone who works at that club, she stood her ground with him. He didn't do anything. He didn't get angry and he definitely didn't fire her. It's a little strange. He didn't even look like he was thinking about firing her or yelling back. He just walked out after saying he'd see us all the next night."

"So, you think that Dan has feelings for Haley?"

Nathan shook his head. "No. Not at all. I think it's more like he wants to keep her from what happened to Karen."

"That is interesting. I think it is guilt over what happened with Karen. After what you said about him saying you could get her pregnant that seems more likely. And, let's face it, Karen and Haley both have pretty similar personalities. They're both warm and kind. Karen saw something in Dan. Haley sees something in you. The good news is that you're definitely not your dad."

"I wouldn't do that to her, Keith," Nathan defended himself. "I wouldn't do what my dad did to Karen. I wouldn't… I mean… Well, I love Haley. I want to do it all right with her."

"Relax, Nathan. Like I said, I know you're not your father. You're a much better man than he'd ever even want to be. And I know what you're trying to say. You're going to do things in the right order. You're going to marry the girl and then think about starting a family."

Nathan's lips turned upward in a small smile. He thought about marrying Haley and he thought about how great their children would be. He wanted that with her someday. He couldn't deny it even if he wanted to.

"Is that where your head is at?"

"We've only been together for a few months," Nathan pointed out.

"A few months and you've fallen hard."

"She's perfect, Keith." Nathan noticed the look in Keith's eyes. He felt bad. The conversation had been about Dan and getting Keith back to his family and now Nathan had taken over it with talk of Haley. Keith never seemed to mind. Nathan wondered if talking about him and Haley helped keep Keith's mind off of being stuck in a basement away from his wife and daughter. Nathan had also noticed that whenever Haley was around Keith seemed to brighten up. He never let his frustrations show around her. It probably helped that Haley always brought news of Karen and Lily. She was, as the weeks went on, constantly filling him in on everything he had missed in their lives. It seemed to be what Keith looked forward to most.

"I'll talk to Lucas. I'll see what we can do to make this go faster," Nathan tried to reassure his uncle.

* * *

><p>Instead of working at the café, Haley was in Karen's house with Brooke and Lily. Karen had closed the café for the day to take inventory. Now that she and Haley were done, Karen had stayed behind to try a few new recipes for the café's menu. Haley had gone to visit her friend. She would later be going to visit Nathan. At the moment, he was keeping Keith company. As Haley and Brooke sat in the kitchen with coffee, Lily was upstairs taking a nap.<p>

Brooke was in the middle of telling Haley about her last date with Julian. Haley was genuinely happy for Brooke and Julian. Julian had been her only friend at the club for so long until Nathan came back. He was a sweet, decent man. He was exactly the kind of man that Brooke deserved. Brooke, at first, hadn't seen things that way. She had felt that she had behaved so poorly while still in school that someone like Julian couldn't possibly be interested.

"I'm just not used to someone being so considerate, Haley. It's strange, but it feels so nice. He knows everything. He knows all about my past behavior. He likes me anyway."

"You deserve it, Brooke. You really do. I'm glad you're so happy. Just try to relax, okay?"

Brooke nodded and took a sip of her coffee. She watched Haley. She thought that Haley looked like she was deep in thought. "What's going on with you and Nathan? Whenever I see the two of you you look completely happy."

Haley blushed. She knew that she and Nathan, ever since telling each other how they really felt, couldn't help how happy they looked when they were around each other. They were basically glued at the hip, as Peyton had pointed out. Whenever they were together, Nathan's arm was usually around her or they were holding hands.

"We're great, Brooke. Really great."

"Did you ever expect this from Nathan Scott?"

"Not in a million years," Haley admitted. "I've been so busy in the past two years that falling in love was the last thing on my mind. Then, Nathan shows up and at first I just thought that he would be my friend. Now, he's so much more." Brooke was really the only one Haley felt she could talk to quite like this. She knew that she could count on Peyton for a level head. Karen could be counted on for advice that she would have ordinarily gone to her mother for. Brooke, though, was good for gushing. Brooke was also good for something that Haley had been curious about for several weeks now.

"He's everything, huh?"

"Brooke, he really is. I just want to be around him constantly. He's just completely overwhelmed me."

"How's it feel? Being in love, I mean."

"It's incredible, Brooke." Haley sipped her coffee and bit down on her lip. "Brooke, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"You won't get… offended? I just need some advice and I don't know who else to talk to."

"Haley, I trust you. I know you wouldn't offend me. Go ahead."

Haley tapped her fingers on the surface of the table. She was chewing on her lip and looked incredibly nervous.

"Haley, what is it that you want to ask me?"

Brooke heard something come from Haley's mouth, but couldn't decipher the words.

"Haley?"

"I'm sorry, Brooke. It's none of my business."

"Haley, come on. Now I'm just curious. You said you needed someone to talk to. Is this about Nathan?"

Haley nodded, but didn't look up at Brooke. "You've been with boys before, right? I mean, you and some of the boys in school. I mean-."

"I know what you mean, Haley." Brooke looked down at the table sheepishly, taking a moment to collect herself. When she looked back up at Haley she could see just how nervous Haley looked in that moment. Brooke hadn't been trying to hide her past, but she still didn't like talking about it. But, she valued Haley and felt that her life was better with Haley in it. If Haley needed to talk, Brooke would be there to listen and give advice.

Brooke thought before speaking. In high school, she had rarely thought before doing anything. That's what got her into the behavior that she was so well known for. That was what led to the question that her best friend had just asked her. "Haley, have you and Nathan had-," she was interrupted before she could finish.

"No!" Haley blurted out her answer and began to vigorously shake her head. She wrapped her hands around her cup of coffee, feeling the warmth from the ceramic mug. She searched her mind, trying to figure out what she was going to tell Brooke next. She regretted bringing it up in the first place, but she was just so curious. She had questions and she knew that Brooke would be able to answer and would do it without judgment.

Brooke took Haley's outburst into consideration when thinking of what to say next. She decided to give Haley a few moments to collect herself. Haley was so clearly nervous. Standing from the table, Brooke smoothed out her skirt and left the kitchen, going upstairs to check on Lily. When she returned she found Haley sitting in the same spot she had left her in. Haley's posture was stiff. She was staring at the yellow wall of Karen's kitchen. If she stared at it any harder, Brooke thought she might just bore a hole in it. Brooke moved her chair closer to Haley's before sitting down again.

"Haley, are you thinking about it?"

Reluctantly, Haley looked back toward Brooke. Haley's brown eyes were glistening with unshed tears and she tried to choke them back. She cleared her throat. Tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, she couldn't help thinking about how often Nathan had done just that same thing. It felt so sensual when he did it. His fingers were so soft, they barely touched her skin. There was a strength in her gentleness that just made her want more from him.

She wanted more, but she knew she wasn't ready for that yet. They weren't ready for that yet. There was a level of respect between the two. Certain things were expected of Nathan and certain things were expected of Haley. The people they had been when they were in high school would have never been together the way they were now. No one would have expected it. Nathan and Haley wouldn't have expected it.

Their relationship was something they both cherished and though they wanted to be closer, both were determined to do things the right way. Haley knew that Nathan, in particular, was not going to chance following in his father's footsteps. The fact that he didn't want to put her in the same position that Dan had put Karen in made Haley love him even more.

Finally, Haley answered Brooke. "We're not thinking about it, but I'm wondering about it."

"You're going to have to explain the difference to me, Haley."

"Nathan stays upstairs at my apartment with me sometimes for a while when he drops me off after work. We'll sit together and talk. We kiss."

"How's the kissing?"

A blush tinged Haley's cheeks and she felt her face getting warmer. "Lucas implied that if Nathan were seen leaving my apartment at that hour that people would begin talking. The implication was that people would assume that Nathan and I were doing more than we're doing."

"Okay, well, Lucas does have a point, Haley. People won't always understand and they won't stop to ask you about it. You and I both know that Nathan isn't who he used to be. A lot of people know that, but a lot of people don't. And as well as they know you and know that you wouldn't, they would still talk. I'm sorry, but people love gossip. It seems like people in small towns like it a lot.

"Haley, if you're not doing more," Brooke continued, "what are you wondering about? I mean, you did ask me."

"Saying goodnight to him is getting more and more difficult. I'm just curious about what it's like, I guess. I know that Nathan is my future. He's who I'm going to spend my life with. I'm in love with him. Completely. I'm just curious. Taylor told me a few things. She said… Well, she said it was excruciatingly painful and that it felt like your body was being ripped in two. But, often Taylor would tell me things hoping that it would scare me. I think I rarely got the truth from her about anything."

"Have you and Nathan talked about your future?"

"Well," Haley turned her body so that she was more fully facing Brooke, "when we're kissing, he'll tell me that he wants to do things the right way. He'll tell me that he respects me and wouldn't want to put me in any position that I shouldn't be in. I know that he's it for me, Brooke. And I know that he knows it too. He feels the same way. You don't have to answer, Brooke. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"It's all right, Haley. You have questions and it sounds like your sister wasn't helpful. It actually sounds like your sister and I had similar experiences for our first time."

"So, it does hurt?"

Brooke nodded and frowned. "I'm sorry, but it does. It's not as bad as what Taylor said. There's a big difference, though. I have a feeling that Taylor and I were both with boys who weren't concerned about us at all. They were more interested in what they got from the act. You would be with Nathan. Nathan would take care of you, Haley. Nathan would make sure that it was as easy on you as possible. It will hurt. That can't be helped. That's only the first time, though."

"After that?"

"After that it feels good. It especially feels good if you're with someone who knows what he's doing. It'll feel really good once you realize what it is you like."

Haley nodded and took a sip of her coffee. Brooke noticed that Haley's eyes were slightly wide as she digested the new information she had been given.

"Haley, if it's worth anything, I wish that I would have waited. I wish I had waited for the right person and the right time rather than just so that a boy would like me more. I wish that I didn't have this past. I don't think it's fair to Julian. But, whatever you decide, you'll be just fine with Nathan. He loves you."

"I'm going to wait, Brooke. Nathan understands that. He hasn't made me do anything that I don't want to do. I suppose that I was just curious."

Brooke tried to hide the relief she was feeling. She didn't want Haley to think that she would have been disappointed or upset had Haley decided not to wait. "Don't worry about offending me, Haley. I won't keep anything from you. If you need someone to talk to, I'll be here to listen."

"You're a great friend, Brooke Davis."

"Well, I don't know about that," Brooke said, remembering her past.

"I do," Haley answered. "You've been my best friend these past two and a half years. Even having Lucas back. You're one of a kind. Thank you for listening to me and, well, I guess for not judging me."

"I wouldn't, Hales. You're in love. It's great to see you this happy again."

"What do you mean?"

Brooke shrugged. "I just mean that you looked lonely when we first became friends. You missed Lucas and Peyton and you were taking care of your mom. Then, you lost your parents. You've been working so hard and lost so many people. This is the most carefree I've ever seen you. I'm happy about it. I'm grateful to Nathan for doing it."

"I hadn't realized that I looked so sad."

"I don't know if everyone noticed it. Karen once asked me if I thought that you looked a little sad. I could tell that you were trying to hide it. But, it was enough for me to notice a difference when Nathan came into your life."

Haley really hadn't noticed that she had looked so sad. Brooke was right; she had tried to hide it. She smiled and put on a happy face. She laughed politely at people's jokes and she played with Lily. She hoped that others hadn't noticed. What she had realized during her morning with Brooke was just how glad she was that they were friends. It had been a while since they had been able to sit and talk, just the two of them. Both were glad that Peyton was home, but the two had formed a special bond while the others had been away.

"Today has been nice," Haley told her friend. "We should try to do it more often."

"We should," Brooke agreed. "What time are you meeting Nathan?"

Haley looked over her shoulder to the clock that Karen had on the wall. She hadn't realized how much time had passed.

"Oh, I should be going. I'm sorry, Brooke."

"Oh, don't worry about me. I'll go check on Lily."

Haley left Brooke's feeling lighter. Her question about intimacy with Nathan had been on her mind for a while. Ever since he had been spending more time in her apartment and as their kissing got more intense, she couldn't help thinking about it. She was glad to know that Taylor's information had at least been exaggerated. Knowing that there was some pain wasn't comforting, but this was better. She trusted Brooke to be honest with her more than her sister. Haley also felt better knowing that she had someone that she could talk to in these situations.

The fact that she was feeling better brought a spring to her step as she walked through town. She would be meeting Nathan at the café for lunch. Even though Karen had closed the café for the day, she had agreed to let Nathan and Haley meet there. Haley would be making lunch for the two of them.

Haley's mood was slightly darkened when she saw her boss approaching her. Had it been Karen, she would have been pleased. To Haley's disappointment, it was Dan. The more that Haley thought about Dan the more confusing she found him. He had never been anything but decent to her. However, the man was a murderer. She knew that now. He also kept threatening his son. That made her angry. She knew that Nathan was insecure after his accident. It had been over six months now, but his confident swagger wasn't what it used to be. He was more confident when he was with Haley. She had noticed that. She found that confidence attractive. Still, Haley didn't like anyone implying that Nathan shouldn't be with her. Haley could tell that Nathan felt like maybe he wasn't good enough for her.

"Miss James," Dan said, tipping his hat to her. "I rarely see you in the daytime."

Haley had to stop herself from rolling her eyes at his comment. "Well, I do work for you in the evenings."

"True enough. I'll see you there tonight, Miss James. Sick o'clock. On the dot."

Haley felt herself getting annoyed by his tone. It was like he was assuming that she wouldn't be there when she was supposed to be.

As he walked away, she turned to look at him. "Mr. Scott, may I ask you a question?"

Dan was caught off guard. That only lasted a moment before he stood with his shoulders back and turned back to her. Again, he was caught off guard. Standing on the sidewalk, her dark hair blowing in the light breeze and a determined expression on her face, she reminded him so much of Karen. It occurred to him that in the time she had worked for him, this was the first time that the two had had a conversation. He couldn't help but be curious.

"Of course, Miss James," he said, his voice full of politeness.

Haley could sense the fact that he was feigning sincerity, but she proceeded. "Have I ever asked you for anything other than a job?"

"No," he answered. He was impressed by the fact that she acknowledged that she asked him for a job. He could see that she was smart. Had she just asked if she had ever asked him for anything, he would have reminded her of the job.

"Have I ever been late? Have I ever come in and not performed the best that I can?"

"No, you've never been late, Miss James. You have always performed as best as you can."

"I've done a good job for you. I've never even taken a night off. I am an exemplary employee, Mr. Scott. Wouldn't you agree?"

"If I were forced to say something, I would say that I have no complaints about you as an employee."

Haley raised her chin and looked Dan square in the eye. She unclenched her fists and tried to relax her face. "Then, please, do not concern yourself with my personal life. Nathan and I have never carried on while we are working. We barely speak while we're working. Our relationship occurs outside the doors of your club. It has had no effect on the jobs that we do. Your business has not suffered for it. So, please, do not concern yourself with our personal business."

Dan found himself, for the third time, caught off guard. Like Karen, Miss Haley James had gumption. This was the second time that she had stood up to Dan. Both times she did it, he knew somewhere inside of him that she was right. He wouldn't tell her that. He also wouldn't tell her that he gained respect for her when she did it.

"Miss James, when it involves my son, it is my business. I know Nathan. Perhaps I know him better than you do. I know how he treats girls and let's just say, I do not want you becoming trapped in a less than ideal situation."

"So, you're looking out for me? With all due respect, Mr. Scott, Nathan isn't the same boy that he once was. I know who that boy was. He's a different man. I'm serious. Please do not interfere with my personal life."

Haley didn't want to wait for Dan to reply. For reasons she couldn't fully explain, she wanted to have the last word in that conversation. She had a feeling that that happened rarely with Dan Scott. She didn't look back at him as she walked away. She simply kept walking. It wasn't until she turned the corner onto another street that she let her shoulders slump and let out a breath.

* * *

><p>Hand in hand, Nathan and Haley walked through the park. It was getting colder. Tree Hill's close proximity to the water meant that the weather cooled down quite a lot in late November. Nathan had a jacket on and a scarf that Haley had given him was wrapped around his neck. Her arm was linked with his. They could feel each other much better in the warmer months. Haley was also wearing a thicker coat.<p>

They passed by a group of boys playing baseball and Haley noticed that Nathan looked at them wistfully. He slowed down his pace before stopping completely to watch. Haley just stayed silent, letting Nathan do what he needed to do. She watched his expression and she saw that he looked happy while watching those boys play baseball. Just three years earlier, that had been him. Haley next saw Nathan cringe as he watched them play. She couldn't stop her curiosity.

"What is it?"

"He shouldn't have swung at that. It's what the pitcher wanted. They need to learn to spot those things. The pitcher wanted him to swing so that it would be a strike. He stepped into it."

She watched as Nathan got more wrapped up in the little game going on before him. She listened as he spoke.

"See, the kid at bat, he needs to deepen his step when he swings. It'll help out."

"You miss it," she stated, knowing that it didn't need to be a question.

"It doesn't matter."

"Of course it does, Nathan. It was a huge part of who you are. I don't think that you should hide from that. You hide when you hear games on the radio. You don't even like looking at the sports page. Don't hide, Nathan. You can't ignore it."

Nathan took a step forward, indicating that he wanted to begin walking again.

"I do miss it. I guess I figure if I ignore it, it'll stop. I wasn't enjoying it as much as I used to. But it was taken from me. It wasn't even my own decision."

"You know, I think that when spring comes, you and I should go to a game. I think it would be good. I know you can't play anymore, but maybe it would be good to go and just watch. Then you can remember what it is to just love the game."

"Maybe," he shrugged. "You're pretty amazing, Hales. Supporting me like this."

"This and anything else." She rested her head against his arm as they continued to walk. The chill in the air didn't bother them. They were just happy being together. "Tell me when you first realized that you loved baseball. I mean really loved it. Before there was any pressure to play perfectly or win a game."

Nathan thought and then smiled. "My dad and I used to listen to games together. I loved Babe Ruth. I thought he could hit anything. I still think he could. Well, one day, dad surprised me. He said we were taking the train up to New York and we were gonna see the Yankees play.

"I could barely sit still as the train rode on. I was just so excited. I got to see Babe Ruth play in person. The game was great. The Yankees won and Babe was just… he was everything I thought he'd be. The crowd was there with him too. They were cheering him on. I barely sat down throughout the game. It just looked like the men out there on that field were having so much fun."

"That sounds nice."

"It was. That's also when it all changed, though. We came home and I started playing with Tim and Damien just for fun. That's when we realized that I was actually pretty good at it."

"Great at it, I'd say," Haley interrupted.

"Anyway, after a while, I decided that I really wanted to play good. I wanted to make that my future. That's when everything with my dad changed. He threw me into this intense training. That was when he decided he would rather be my coach than my dad. That game in New York was the day I realized that I loved the game, but it's also the day that I basically lost my dad."

"I'm so sorry, Nathan. I'm sorry that you two have been through that."

"It's all right, Hales."

"No, it's not. You should be able to have him in your life."

"After everything he's done, I don't want him in my life."

"I understand that. It's just a shame that he's, well, Dan. And I still think we should go to that baseball game. Does Babe Ruth still play?"

Nathan laughed at his girlfriend's lack of understanding when it came to sports. She was intelligent. She was easily the smartest person he knew. Sports, though, went over her head.

"No. Sorry, Hales. Babe Ruth does not play anymore."

"I think it would be great for you to remember why you love the game." Haley could tell that Nathan was thinking about what she had said. She didn't want to interrupt that thought, but she didn't want to keep anything from him either. "So, I saw Dan today while I was walking to the café. I talked to him."

"Are you all right?"

Haley nodded. "I actually told him to stay out of my personal life."

"Seriously? What did he do?"

"Well, nothing. I didn't give him a chance to. I walked away before he could."

"You got the last word over Dan Scott? He probably didn't know what hit him! You're great, Hales." Not paying attention to who might be around watching them, Nathan turned so that he was facing Haley. He took her face in his hands and brought his lips to hers. He kissed her and didn't stop for several seconds.

When they finally stopped kissing, Haley was breathless. She smiled, but didn't say a word. She placed her hand over his. Reaching up, she gave him a peck on the lips before they resumed walking.

"He doesn't get to tell us what to do," Haley stated with finality. "We have to stand up to him."

Nathan nodded. He knew he hadn't really stood up to his dad until recently. He hadn't done it since he dared Dan to fire him and chose Haley over Dan. He hoped that another confrontation wouldn't happen, but he thought it might. He didn't see how it was avoidable since Dan wasn't going to miraculously accept his relationship with Haley and Nathan sure wasn't going to stop seeing Haley.

* * *

><p>Thanksgiving had been pleasant. Both Nathan and Haley had talked about it and both couldn't help the heavy feeling they got knowing that Keith was stuck in a basement while they were all spending time with family.<p>

Haley and Karen worked hard cooking dinner for everyone. The year before, it had just been Karen, Haley, Brooke, and Lily. This year, they were joined by Lucas, Peyton, Nathan, and Julian. Much to everyone's surprise, Nathan had even gone into the kitchen to offer to help Karen and Haley.

Nathan and Haley knew that it wasn't the same, but they brought Keith a plate of Karen's leftovers. He said that it was the best Thanksgiving dinner he'd had in years. They could still see the bitterness in him. It was getting to be too hard for him to be there. They tried to make it easier on him. Now that he was in the house, they spent more time with him than before. Haley and Nathan ate some pie they'd brought with them while Keith ate his dinner.

When they got back to Haley's apartment it wasn't late. Karen had served an early dinner and though they had stayed with Keith as long as they could, it was still barely eight o'clock at night. Haley had apologetically told Nathan, right when they walked in the door that she needed to write a letter to Vivian. She owed her one after receiving one a while back. So, Nathan sat with Haley at her small table and watched as she wrote a letter to Vivian.

Haley kept Vivian's letter next to her. She would glance at it and then write something. He guessed that she was responding directly to something that Vivian had said. Leaning his elbow on the table, he rested his chin against his fist and just watched her.

"How is Vivian?"

"She's doing well," Haley answered.

"And Charlie?"

"He's been really busy. Vivian says that he's working longer and longer hours. It worries her."

"If she needs anything, she can just let me know," Nathan offered.

"I'll let her know." Haley looked back at the paper in front of her and wrote something down. Nathan was sure that she was relaying his offer. That's just who Haley was.

"How is Jane?"

Haley looked up from the paper and was beaming. "Most of Vivian's letter was about Jane. She said she's growing so much. She laughs, she smiles. She says that she's such a happy little baby."

Nathan smiled. Part of the reason he smiled was because of Haley's enthusiasm when talking about her niece. Another reason was that he was remembering just how great she had been with the baby when they had visited. Haley was a natural. He already knew that she had the instincts to take care of people. She would be a wonderful mother someday. "I'd like to be a father," he blurted out without thinking.

The smile left Haley's face and she stared at him. She blinked a few times. Her conversation with Brooke came back to her. Nathan was her future and she knew that she wanted children in her future. It was different, now, knowing that he wanted the same thing.

"You do?"

He nodded his head. "I told you before that I didn't think about the future until I became friends with you. It's true. I'm gonna spend my life with you, Haley. I'd like to be a father. I want to be a better one than my old man, you know? I want to protect him or her and make sure they grow up right and treat people good and that they try to do the right thing. Like what I didn't have. I want that, but what I really want is to have that with you.

"I'm not tryin' to scare you, Hales. If you don't want that, it's okay. I understand."

Haley stood up from her chair and sat in Nathan's lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her forehead to his. "A little boy. With your eyes. You'd be a wonderful father, Nathan. I know it. Someday, when I do have children, you're going to be their father."

"A little girl. Just like you. Haley, if I could give you a nice place to live, a way to live comfortably without having to work so hard, I would marry you tomorrow. I just… I don't have much to offer right now. I mean, I live with my brother and his wife. I'm saving my money. I am. It's for our future. There's money coming when I turn twenty-one from my mom's folks. It'll help us."

"You have you to offer, Nathan," Haley interrupted him. "You're more than enough. As long as I have you, I'm more than fine. But, you're right. We aren't financially stable right now to bring a child into the world. I know that. But, as for everything else, I just need you. You're my always. My forever."

"Your always and forever?" Nathan smiled at her and gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

"Always and forever. It means you're never getting rid of me, Scott. Can you handle that?" She stood up and pulled on the tie he had worn for Thanksgiving dinner. He stood up, but she still didn't let go of his tie. The hand that wasn't on his tie reached for the color of his slightly wrinkled white shirt. She brought his head down to hers and kissed him. Her lips worked with his rather than against them. Finally, letting go of his tie and collar, her arms went around his neck.

Nathan wrapped his arms around Haley's waist and picked her up off the ground several inches. He carried her to the sofa, setting her down in front of it.

"Aren't you supposed to be finishing a letter?"

"You," she pulled on his suspenders and let them snap back onto his chest, "distracted me. This is your fault. The fact that you want to marry me and have children with me makes you even more handsome than you already were."

"Who said anything about marrying you? Isn't it enough that I'm stuck with you for the rest of my life? What is it you said? Always and forever?"

"Oh, trust me, mister, you said you were going to marry me someday. Besides, that's the only way we're bringing a little you or me into this world."

"A little you or a little me. A combination of the two of us," he smiled, his joking tone was gone and now there was love and reverence in his voice. "I did say that I was gonna marry you, didn't I?"

"You did," she confirmed.

"Good. That's exactly my plan."

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> Not the next chapter, but the one after has some big stuff coming up. I hope you'll enjoy it. Thank you for reading and reviewing!


	20. It Doesn't Matter

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Notes:** I'm actually excited that there was less than a week between updates. There's some set up in this chapter for the next chapter. I have a lot planned for the next chapter. It may be split in two. Either way, it is the climax of the story, which sort of means after that it's winding down.

Nathan and Haley had stopped kissing a while ago. Things had gotten heated and although Haley could feel how aroused Nathan was, although she kept wanting him to touch her more intimately, he had been the one to stop. She could tell that he was embarrassed when he explained that he was getting a little uncomfortable. He had shifted, trying to hide the bulge in his trousers. Now, they were reclined on the sofa with Nathan's arms wrapped around Haley. Nathan was staying a little later because the next day would be Sunday. Haley would have to open the café, but they didn't have to be at the club on Sundays.

It was now early December and it had been over a week since Haley's conversation with Brooke and the revelation that both she and Nathan wanted children with each other. To say that both had been on her mind would have been an understatement. What she had been most curious about was Nathan. She was sure that Brooke was right when she said that he would take care of her and make things as easy as possible on her. That wasn't what Haley was questioning. Something else was on her mind and she didn't really want to ask him about it, but it was still ever present in her mind. It was especially present when they were close and when their relationship was at its most physical.

Nathan concentrated on his girlfriend's face. Her fingers were underneath his suspenders and her eyes were staring at the pattern on the rug that was on the floor. Her brow was slightly knit together and she had her lips pursed together. She had been like this for several days. He had given her time, not wanting to push her. He was sure that she would tell him what was going on eventually. That hadn't happened and she was still lost in thought.

"Hales," he said.

"Hmm?"

"What's going on with you?" He gave her shoulder a squeeze and smiled when she looked up at him.

"What do you mean?"

"You've been lost in thought for days now. I was hoping that you'd come talk to me. If you don't want to, it's okay, Hales."

"You could tell?"

"Well, yeah."

"How did that happen so quickly? How are you able to read my mood so quickly?"

"I just pay attention to you, Hales. I've never been able to stop from noticing you. You're everything. When you bite your lip, you're nervous. Or, you're trying to keep from, well, moaning," he smirked. "When you get really quiet, you're worried about something. You smile like crazy when you talk about your family. You get this look in your eye when you talk about them too. Like you miss them but don't want to admit it because you want to be strong. When you're staring into space, you're over thinking something."

"I really do love you," she said, overwhelmed that he cared enough to pay such close attention to her. She knew he did. He noticed and she could tell because he showed that he did in the little things he did. His care for her and his consideration were always present in their relationship. Because of this, she never doubted that he loved her.

"I love you too, but you aren't answering my question."

"What question?" Haley knew that was lame. He had asked her point blank what she was thinking about and he had acknowledged that when he said that he knew when he stared into space that she was over thinking something.

"Hales…"

"Okay. Okay." She ran her hands over her face. "I've just been thinking a lot lately. I had this talk with Brooke and then we decided that someday we want to have children and I've just been thinking."

"About what? What have you talked to Brooke about?"

Haley chewed on her lower lip and though her instinct was to look away, she kept her eyes focused on his blue ones. "Sex," she said softly. She was now sitting up and had her hands clasped firmly in her lap. She was worried about his reaction and watched anxiously as he seemed to be processing the information.

"I'm not gonna push you, Hales. I know we're not going to do… well, that, until we're married. You do know that, right?"

"Of course I do, Nathan. I'm not worried about that."

"What are you worried about, Haley? What exactly did you and Brooke talk about? You're starting to worry me."

"I just had some questions about what it's like and she answered them. That's all, Nathan."

"Well, then what has you so worked up?"

Haley now brought her eyes down to her own hands. "When we kiss, it's wonderful. I love kissing you and I know that we both want more. I can feel that. I've just, well, I've been wondering."

"Wondering what?" He saw the hesitation and nervousness etched on her beautiful features. He rubbed his thumb along her cheek bone, trying to calm her.

Haley knew that there was no going back. She was going to have to ask. The minute he noticed that something was on her mind she was going to have to answer. She took a deep breath and looked at her boyfriend. He looked so concerned. "Nathan, how… how many girls have you been with? I mean, all the way."

"Oh," Nathan didn't want to look at Haley. He felt so guilty. His hand dropped from her face and he struggled to find something to do with his hands. He didn't feel worthy of touching Haley at that moment. He searched his mind for something to say. He wasn't sure how long he sat there thinking with her waiting for him to say something.

"You don't have to answer. Forget I asked," she stood up, but felt his hand on her arm. She sat back down next to him.

Nathan withdrew his hand. He hadn't meant to touch her, but instinct had him wanting to keep her there. "I haven't been with anyone in three years," he said. "No one. Peyton and me never did. When I cheated on her, I didn't go, well, all the way. It came close, but I didn't."

"No one in three years," Haley repeated. That should have comforted her, but it didn't. "Nathan, we're nineteen years-old. Three years-ago, we were sixteen. We were kids."

"I can't change my past, Haley. I wish that I could. You don't deserve this. I wish that I didn't have this and that it's bothering you. I was a stupid kid. I know that. When I was young, my dad put this stupid idea in my head that girls were meant to be used. He used to tell me, 'Use them and then lose them, son.' I know you don't want to hear that. But I thought he was looking out for me. The other girls, they didn't mean a thing. I was a jerk then. I wasn't a good person."

Haley tried to process what he was saying to her. He still hadn't answered her question. "How many?"

Nathan really hadn't wanted to answer that. He had made a point not to, but she was leaving him with no choice. "Five."

Haley nodded and chewed on her lip. "I'm nervous, Nathan." Haley was feeling more vulnerable than she ever had before. "I'm nervous because I've never done that before. Not with anyone. And you have all this experience. I went to Brooke because I was nervous. And it makes me nervous knowing that I haven't been with anyone, but you've been with other girls. I'm going to be with you when we get married because I love you. It won't mean nothing, Nathan. It will mean everything."

Nathan's heart broke as he watched tears fall down Haley's face and he hated that he was the cause of her pain. He wished more than anything that he hadn't been such a bastard. He wished that he hadn't let Dan tell him what to do.

"When we're together, when it happens, it'll mean everything to me too, Haley."

"Nathan," she wiped some of her tears away, "what if I'm not enough for you? What if it isn't as good as it was with the others?"

"Is that what you think, Hales?" This time, he didn't resist touching her. He placed his hands on either side of her face. "Haley, I know that it's going to be better than it was with them. You never have to worry about being enough for me. Even if we never ever make love, you will be enough for me. I've told you before, but I'll say it again. You saved my life, Hales. You're already everything to me.

"I am so sorry that I have that past. I wish that I had waited. But you will be the first person I will have been with where it means something. You're also going to be the last person I'm ever with. Please don't feel like you're not enough for me, Hales. Please never feel like that. What can I do to make you believe that? I want you to believe that and to know how sorry I am for being such a bastard before us."

Haley placed her hand on top of his, which was still on her cheek. She tried to feel reassured. She knew that Nathan meant every word he had said. She couldn't help that she felt insecure, though. Nathan had experience and she didn't. It was that simple. She gave his hand a squeeze and wiped away her tears with her free hand. She looked over at the clock.

"It's getting late. We should get some sleep." She stood up and didn't wait for him to respond.

Nathan didn't want to leave. He wanted to stay with her until he was sure that she believed him. He also didn't want to push her. Pushing her was the last thing that he wanted to do. So, he would give her some space. Hopefully in the morning she would be more receptive to believing him. So, he stood and followed her to the door. When she opened it, she just stood there. He was used to her walking him downstairs, but it seemed that she would not be doing that tonight. Feeling resigned, he placed his hat on his head and put his jacket and scarf on.

Without giving it much thought, he kissed her. It wasn't a small, chaste kiss. It was a kiss that was filled with every bit of passion and desire that he felt for her.

"No one has ever kissed as good as you," he said. "I love you, Haley. I'll see you tomorrow." He didn't want to wait for her to answer. He left here there. He felt a little better when, across the street from the café, he saw her from the window. She waved and he waved back with a smile.

* * *

><p>Nathan slowly walked to the café. He wanted to get there to see how Haley was, but he knew she wouldn't have much time to talk. They didn't want to talk in public, anyway. So, he took his time walking through town. When he came to the park, he stopped.<p>

The grass was covered in a layer of dew that hadn't melted yet. The sun wasn't out and the wind wasn't just a breeze. It was blowing. He wrapped her scarf around his neck, making it more secure. He heard a familiar crack and looked to the left. He saw a boy running for first base and he smiled.

Baseball, while in Durham, had been his way of hiding from his problems. He used it as a distraction to keep from thinking about his mother's death and his father's role in it. Now, he was watching as a way of putting off what he had to do. He leaned against a tree, the leaves having fallen off in the months prior.

He watched as one player, a boy with curly brown hair, got frustrated. He was at bat and was one strike away from being out. Nathan limped over to him and stood behind home plate. Putting his hands in his pockets, he spoke to the boy. "Step into it more."

"Excuse me?" The boy turned to look at who was talking. He recognized Nathan. People in Tree Hill knew who Nathan Scott was. He had watched Nathan play while he was still a Raven.

"He's trying to trick you with that pitch and you're falling for it. Just take a deep breath, relax, and ease into your swing. Step a little deeper and it'll give it a little more power."

"That's if I even hit it," the kid replied.

"You will. Just relax." Nathan took two steps back as the kid resumed his stance. He paid attention to what his friend on the pitcher's mound was doing. Recognizing the same pitch as before, the boy didn't swing. Nathan took his hands from his pockets and clapped loudly. "Good work. What's your name?"

"Uh, it's Jack," the kid answered.

"Okay, remember, Jack, when you do swing, step into it more."

"Okay," Jack said. Now that Nathan had been right about the last pitch, Jack was trusting him more.

Nathan watched as the pitcher threw the ball. He watched Jack closely and saw the boy take a wide step as he swung the bat. The familiar crack was heard and the ball went sailing into right field, over the head of the kid standing out there. Nathan saw that the kid wasn't expecting that and he took off running for the ball. Nathan looked back again at Jack who was now rounding second base and going for third. Before the kid in right field managed to catch the ball, Jack had made it around to home plate.

"Good job," Nathan congratulated him.

"You're Nathan Scott," Jack said. "My old man and I used to come watch you when you played."

"That was a while ago," Nathan answered. "I don't play anymore."

"It's lousy about your knee," Jack sympathized.

Some of the other players came into home plate, all wanting to meet Nathan. They all seemed eager to listen to him after they saw how he'd helped Jack. None of them seemed to mind that he couldn't play anymore and that he had a bum knee. They didn't look twice as he limped around the field.

Nathan stayed and helped them for several hours. He wasn't even aware that it had been that long. They all took pointers from him and they listened when he had something to say. If he had to describe it, he would say that they seemed to respect him. He had learned that they didn't play for any official team. They just loved the game. They wanted to play better, but they really just played for fun. They reminded him of the kids Lucas used to play with before he officially joined the Ravens.

A while ago, Nathan had realized that from all the running around he was doing helping the boys, he had gotten hot. His jacket and scarf had been discarded and were sitting on a bench. Even though it was now early December and the temperature was actually cold and the sun wasn't even out, he had gotten warm. He wasn't cold at all. He wasn't even ready to leave, but the boys all had to get back home. He asked one of them what time it was and that's when he realized that he had been there for three hours.

Nathan had had fun. It was the first time he could remember having fun on a baseball field in years. He hadn't had fun like that since just after he first joined the Ravens. Even then, it was still all business. Dan made sure of that. He had fun on a baseball field and he hadn't even been playing.

When he turned back for his jacket and scarf he saw Dr. Durham sitting on the bench. He took a seat next to the old man, holding his things in his hand.

"You looked like you belong out there," Dr. Durham told him.

"Not anymore," Nathan said. "I was just helpin' 'em out."

"You know about my boy, Steven. I told you he could never give up the game. I told you to find something else you love. I'm glad you did. She's a good girl."

"She's the best." Nathan smiled. He remembered that he should have been at the café hours ago. He hoped that Haley wouldn't be mad. She was probably already upset after what had happened the night before.

"Looks like you don't have to give up your game completely," the doctor observed.

"I can't play anymore."

"Tell me something, did you have fun out there just now? And don't lie. I was watching you for a bit."

Nathan adjusted his hat on his head. "Yeah. Yeah, I had fun out there."

"You got yourself a great girl. You're happy. You may not have to give up your game, Nathan. What I'm talkin' about, from what I saw out there, you'd make an excellent coach. You should think about it."

Nathan stared at the doctor, unsure of what to say.

"Have a good day," Dr. Durham stood up and left Nathan to think.

As Nathan stood to leave, he saw something curious in the corner of his eye. Standing off behind a cluster of trees were Cooper and Rachel. Nathan had thought he noticed something between the two at the club. He was sure that he had seen Cooper staring in Rachel's direction. He watched and saw Cooper slam his hand against the trunk of a tree. Rachel startled and took a step backward. She had Tommy with her and picked him up from his pram. She held him closely. Nathan observed Cooper look at the baby with a softness. It looked to Nathan like Cooper was apologizing and that Rachel accepted it. She took a few steps closer to him and didn't back away when Cooper put his hand on Tommy's head. Nathan kept watching them until they both left. He wondered if he should ask Cooper about it.

Nathan thought about what the doctor had said as he finally walked to the café. As he approached the building, though, his mind went back to Haley and what had happened the night before. His stomach was a ball of nerves as he thought about what Haley's reaction would be. He hoped with everything in him that she believed him. He removed his hat before opening the door. When the bell above the door sounded, no one looked his way. He saw Karen and Haley at the counter. Haley's back was to him, but he could see that Karen looked numb. It was strange. No one in the café seemed to be eating or talking. It was eerily silent. He heard the radio on. It sounded like a news report.

Nathan approached Haley and gently placed a hand on her back. When she felt his touch, she turned to look at him. She had tears in her eyes and she immediately wrapped her arms around his neck. He returned her hug, wrapping his arms tightly around her.

"What's going on? This isn't about last night," he guessed. It couldn't be. Something had to have happened because everyone in the café was acting strangely.

"The Japanese attacked the fleet at Pearl Harbor. In Hawaii," she explained.

"What?" Nathan hadn't expected that at all. He turned his head to where the radio was on the counter. Through the crackling reception, he could hear news of the fleet having been destroyed. There wasn't much concrete news beyond the fact that the Japanese had attacked without being provoked. Nathan took a seat on the stool next to Haley, never letting go of her hand.

Not long after Nathan arrived, Karen closed the café. All that remained were her, Nathan, and Haley. Quietly, the three began cleaning up after the day's work. There wasn't much to do at all. They didn't even say a word as they began doing it. They just wanted to keep busy.

As Karen was counting out the money in the cash register, Nathan was wiping down the counter. Haley was the first to speak. "We'll be going to war."

"You think so?" Nathan set the rag in his hand aside.

"I'm sure of it."

Nathan sat down. War. Lucas had mentioned before that he thought it was coming. Nathan had read the headlines of what was happening in Europe. He just had never thought of Japan.

"Nathan, Haley, I'm going to head home now. I'll still be cooking dinner. I think it would be nice for us all to be together tonight."

Haley and Nathan nodded as Karen left the café. Haley took Nathan's hand and led him upstairs to her apartment. Neither said anything as they sat on the sofa. Haley had looked over where her radio sat, but she didn't bother turning it on.

"Hales, I know there's a lot going on, but we need to talk about last night."

Nathan was about to say more but was stopped by Haley's lips on his. She kissed him the way that he had kissed her last night. There was passion and desire in her kiss and it went further when she slipped her tongue between his lips. When she pulled away, she looked into his eyes.

"It doesn't matter."

"It does."

"It doesn't, Nathan. You matter and I matter. I thought of that when we heard what happened today. I thought about how I wanted you next to me. It didn't matter that you have more experience than me. It matters that we're together. I'm still nervous. I can't help that. But, it seems like such a small thing in comparison to the rest of the world and what's going on. I love you, Nathan.

"You said all the right things to reassure me last night. I think my favorite was that even though there had been others, I would be your last. I loved hearing that from you. And that it'll be everything for you. I love you, Nathan.

"I know that when it happens, once we're married, that I'm going to be nervous. But, Brooke was right. She told me that I didn't have to worry because you would take care of me."

"Brooke said that?"

Haley nodded. "I, um," Haley blushed, "I asked her if it would hurt. She told me that it would, but that you would take care of me."

"I'll always take care of you, Hales. No matter what." He pulled her to him and kissed her again.

"I know. I love you."

"I love you too. I'm sorry about my past."

"It's your future that matters, Nathan. Always and forever, remember?"

"Always and forever." He put his arm around her shoulders. They were nearly lying horizontal on her sofa. The little piece of furniture had become so comfortable to Nathan in his time with Haley. He knew that it had everything to do with the fact that it was where he and Haley spent much of their time. On that sofa, he could kiss her, he could touch her a bit, and he could tell her everything that he was feeling.

"Where were you today? You normally get to the café earlier," she said. "Were you nervous after last night?"

"Oh, yeah. I was going to tell you." Nathan smiled. With everything going on in the world, he had this beautiful woman at his side and he'd had a great time with those kids. "I was nervous, but I really wanted to come see you so we could get everything squared away. I just got sidetracked."

"Doing what?"

"Playing baseball. Kind of."

Haley had an excited look on her face. She leaned up and looked at him, a large smile on her face.

"Remember those kids we saw?" She nodded her head. "Well, they were out there again. That one kid was making that same mistake, so I gave him some advice. He listened to me, Hales. They all did. They all took my tips and they listened to what I know. I was out there with them and… and I didn't even notice how much time had gone by. I'm sorry I wasn't there sooner."

"Did you have fun?" Haley had a feeling that she knew the answer. From the look on his face and the way he was talking, it seemed obvious.

"Yeah, I had fun, Hales."

"Then don't be sorry. I think it's great that you aren't hiding from it anymore. Really, I'm so glad that you had a great time."

"The Doc was there watching me," Nathan continued. "He seemed happy that I'm not…"

"Like his son. I am too. I'm so pleased you're not running from your past."

"I found you first, Hales. You gave me something to look forward to. And I really think that I lost baseball before I hurt my knee. It just wasn't the same. Really, today was the first day it felt like fun in such a long time."

"The Doc's a good man," Haley said.

"He, uh, he thought maybe I should try coaching."

Haley bit on her lip thinking. "Yes. Yes, I think if you had fun today and those boys listened to you, that's an excellent idea. You'd be wonderful at that. Oh, Nathan, you should definitely look into that."

"I might like that. I'd like to think about it. But…Hales, I have to tell you something." He had been thinking of it since they had been downstairs in the café. It was something that he would just have to do. "Hales, if we go to war, I have to try to enlist." It was something he felt he had to do. Other men would be going to war. He had to go. They'd been attacked. He couldn't sit home and do nothing. It would be a chance for him to contribute and do something that mattered. He didn't need to tell Haley that. He knew she would understand.

Haley nodded her head and felt the tears welling up in her eyes. "I know. I understand. I almost wish that I didn't. Just remember one thing, Nathan. No matter what happens, I will always love you."

* * *

><p>Five days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Nathan and Lucas quietly drove to Camp Lejeune to enlist in the Marine Corp. Peyton had been upset about Lucas's decision to do it, but she couldn't blame him. One thing weighing on both of their minds was that it meant that it would take longer to take down Dan. Nathan felt especially guilty that Keith was still in that basement.<p>

Nathan was also worried about whether or not he would even be accepted. He knew that he was capable of doing just as much as the other men volunteering. He just hoped that the military would see it that way too.

Nathan and Lucas found themselves in a long line of men. Some were young, some were old. Some looked scared and some looked eager. They were now at war with Japan. Germany had also declared war. Nathan was with Haley when she briefly spoke to Vivian. Charlie would be sent out as soon as possible. Nathan and his brother waited patiently. They filled out the necessary forms and soon found themselves sitting in the waiting area wearing only their boxers.

"Lucas. Nathan." The brothers looked up to see Mouth in front of them. He looked like he was in the middle of getting dressed again.

"Heya, Mouth," Lucas greeted. "You all signed up?"

"Private McFadden, reporting for duty." Mouth looked around at the others, a bitter expression on his face.

"What's going on, Mouth?"

"I should be covering this story. I should be writing about it. That should be my way of fighting it."

"At least you get to help out," Nathan told him, his worries bubbling at the surface. He covered his knee with his hand. The only one who had ever seen it was Lucas. He could feel how disfigured it was underneath the palm of his hand.

"I hate your father," Mouth spewed. "Give me the chance and I'd kill him." Mouth stormed off, leaving Lucas and Nathan watching after him.

"Has he always been that way?" Nathan made sure to keep his hand covering his knee.

"No. No, not really. Lately… I don't know."

"Do you think he'd really… you know?"

"Mouth from before we left, definitely not. I don't know. I hope not," Lucas said.

"Nathan Scott." Nathan heard his name called. He gave Lucas a nod and stood up, limping to where the doctor was waiting to examine him. Nathan felt like all eyes were on him as he followed the doctor. He tried to conceal his limp, just like he did when he was around his father. He nervously looked from side to side to look at the other men. A few did look at him curiously. He knew he couldn't hide his knee like this. They could look and see it. He hated that people saw what his knee looked like. He was relieved when the doctor led him behind a white curtain screen.

The doctor indicated for Nathan to sit down while he looked over his paperwork.

"Well, everything looks squared away," the doctor said. He hadn't bothered looking at Nathan. Nathan wasn't surprised. He was sure that the doctor had seen dozens of men that day already and more in the days before.

Nathan sat still and took a deep breath as the doctor put the stethoscope to his chest. He waited patiently as the doctor then took his pulse. After that, it was when the doctor finally took a good look at him. The doctor looked him up and down, scrutinizing him. Nathan tried not to look as uncomfortable as he felt.

"What's wrong with your knee?"

Instinctively, Nathan moved his hand to his knee. "I, uh, I hurt it playing baseball."

"It healed wrong," the doctor surmised, not even needing to guess.

"Yes, sir. Ran into a catcher and heard my knee crack. Felt it too. Obviously. But, I can walk just fine. I can march, all that stuff."

"Hold your knee out straight," the doctor ordered.

Nathan tried to do as the doctor said, but the truth was that ever since his injury, his knee didn't completely straighten out. He tried getting it as straight as he could, but it did cause him some discomfort.

"Don't push yourself, son. Now, bend it at a 110 degree angle."

"I'm sorry?"

"Just, bend your knee, son." Nathan did as the doctor asked. "A little less." Nathan unbent his knee a little. "All right. Thank you, son. Now, I want you to get up and walk a few steps for me. Walk as you naturally would."

Knowing what was coming, Nathan stood up and limped across the room. He knew that at that moment, his limp was a little more pronounced. Trying to straighten out his leg had caused it to be sore. It would go away, but since it was only seconds afterward, it was making his limp worse.

The doctor wrote something down on Nathan's paperwork. Taking a stamp from the desk on the table, he stamped something on the paperwork.

"I'm sorry, son. I've got to declare you 4-F."

"I can do this, sir. It won't be a problem. I swear."

"I'm sorry. There's nothing that I can do."

Nodding his head, Nathan left and went to retrieve his clothes. Dejectedly, he put his trousers and shirt back on. Once he was fully dressed, he sat outside and waited for his brother. Lucas had driven them there. He held his hat in his hands, twisting it in his fists. It wasn't long until Lucas came out.

"Well?" Lucas could already tell what had happened. He could see it in Nathan's posture as he sat on a bench, his back hunched over and his head down.

"4-F," Nathan said. "You?"

"Private Lucas Scott. They'll let me know when I go for basic training. I know there are some things we need to talk about with Dan and… you know. I've got to get home and talk to Peyton, though."

Nathan nodded and followed his brother to the car. They were silent for most of the drive.

"You know, this stinks for Keith," Nathan said. Nathan was angry. He didn't like being told that he couldn't do something. He couldn't play baseball and now he was told that he couldn't fight for his country. He got even angrier thinking that Lucas would be able to do that. Lucas would be leaving and now Keith would be stuck in that basement even longer and Dan would continue to go unpunished. The longer that happened, the worse it would be.

None of them deserved this. Nathan was angry and he was taking it out on Lucas. He didn't want their plans to be derailed. The more time he spent with Haley and the two of them spent with Keith, the more guilty he felt for Keith being down there. They had finally made some progress finding that ledger and now they were at a dead end. They were going to be stuck for the foreseeable future.

Passing through a small town, Nathan thought about Haley. She was working at the café and he promised he would see her when they got back. She wouldn't want him to give up, but he didn't know what to do. He wouldn't be going to war.

He knew that war wasn't their only fight, but he didn't know what to do about that either. He thought about how he had reacted after his knee injury. He had gotten drunk and he didn't care about anything. He felt like he didn't have anything.

He knew that things were different now. He had Haley, which meant he had everything. He needed Haley. He was on his way to her now. She would understand and she would know what to do. He wanted to get there faster. He wanted to tell Lucas to drive faster, but he didn't. He just needed to get home to Haley. Haley made everything in his life better.

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> So, Nathan is not going to war. Thank you for reading and reviewing!


	21. I've Got Nothing to Offer You

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Note:** Well, that took a while. Sorry about that. The good news is that this is the longest chapter yet. I really hope you enjoy it. A lot happens and a lot happens in the next one. Thank you for being patient with me. You guys are great.

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><p>Setting down two plates in front of her customers, Haley smiled and asked them if they needed anything else. She was listening for their answer when she heard the bell of the door sound. She saw Nathan walk in. His shoulders were slumped, his hat was in his hand, and he was looking anywhere but at her. She knew exactly what had happened. She could read him so well. Her heart broke and she wanted to run to him and hug him. She wanted to tell him that everything would be all right. She couldn't, though. She was at work and she also knew that Nathan wouldn't want a public display.<p>

Haley vaguely heard her customers tell her they didn't need anything more. Wiping her hands on her apron out of nervousness, Haley walked up to Nathan. He stopped moving his head around and looking from place to place, but he still wouldn't look directly at her. Without a word, she laced her fingers through his and led him to a stool at the counter. She poured him a cup of coffee and let her fingers linger on his hand before returning to work.

Haley tried to focus on the customers, but her attention was elsewhere. She kept looking at Nathan, who sat with his shoulders slumped, his hands wrapped around the coffee cup. She was sure that he hadn't taken a single drink of it. Karen noticed that Haley was distracted and looked at the young couple sympathetically. She knew what Nathan and Lucas had gone to do that day. She could tell by looking at Nathan what had happened and she worried about what had happened with her own son. She had a feeling she knew and she didn't like it one bit. Still, he was a grown man. He made his own decisions. That was something she had learned two and a half years ago.

Karen stopped Haley behind the counter as she was refilling the pot of coffee. She gently placed her hand on Haley's arm and could feel how tense she was.

"Haley, why don't you take your break now. Don't worry about anything down here. I can handle it."

"Karen-," Haley began.

"Go ahead." Karen looked to Nathan and smiled. He didn't seem to notice her. He didn't seem to notice much of anything. He needed to be around Haley, but she was working. He understood that. He had come to the café for two reasons and both reasons involved Haley. She wanted to know what had happened. He could tell how nervous she was about his trying to enlist. The other reason is that he was feeling useless. Everyone else he knew would probably be going off to fight and he would be left behind. He wanted the comfort that he knew he would get from Haley. He felt it just being in the café with her now. Still, he wanted more and he knew he couldn't have that while she was working. For now, he would take what he could get.

Nathan was broken from his thoughts when he felt Haley take his hand. He knew it was her without even looking. He did finally look at her and he didn't see pity. He saw sympathy. He tried to give her a small smile so that he could tell her that he was okay, but he knew she would know better. She knew him too well for that. She gave a slight tug on his hand and he stood up to follow her. They both ignored the few customers in the café who watched with some curiosity as Haley led Nathan upstairs. They stopped at her apartment, but only long enough for her to grab her coat. Nathan stayed quiet as Haley led him to the roof. She took a seat on the small bench up there and invited him to do the same.

"Lucas and I used to play up here," she explained. There were still remnants from a little golf course that had been there and Nathan smiled. His brother and Haley had been so close growing up. He wished that he could have been part of their little group instead of the friends he did have during school. Haley linked her arm in his and rested her head on his shoulder, leaning into him.

"I love you, Nathan. If you want to talk and tell me what happened, I'm here to listen. If you just want to sit and be quiet, we can do that too. Whatever you need."

Nathan rested his head on top of hers where it was on his shoulder. This was exactly what he needed. They didn't say anything for a while. In the back of his head, Nathan knew that Haley still had to work. He also knew that he did need to talk.

"They think I can't do it because of my knee. They think I'd just slow everyone else down. I could do it, though, Hales. I know I could. But they don't want me." He felt Haley snuggle closer to him and hold onto his arm tighter.

"You know, ever since this happened, there hasn't been much I couldn't do except play baseball. I can walk. I can run. I just do it a little funny. I can't help it. I'm a little slow. I know that. But… I can still defend people. I can still do what anyone else can. I could walk miles and miles like they want me to. They won't even take a chance."

Haley felt a tear slide down her cheek as she listened to him. She put her hand on his cheek and forced his head to turn so that he was looking at her.

"You've always been the most handsome man I have ever seen. Even when I didn't like you," she joked. "You did something, though, not long after you came to work at the club, that made you even more attractive. It wasn't long after you began walking me home instead of following me home.

"Damien West came into the club and he touched me where he shouldn't have. He grabbed me and I know we never talked about it, but he made me feel so uncomfortable. The way he was looking at me and talking to me. It was like I could feel it underneath my skin and it felt so wrong. But then you came to my rescue. You defended me. In that moment, you became even more attractive than you already were.

"You can defend people. You're strong and capable. You're one of the strongest people I know and I don't just mean physically. I'm so sorry that they won't give you a chance and that what happened to your knee is holding you back."

"I'm just as much of a man as anyone else who was there to sign up."

"I know you are. You're more than half of them, I'm sure. But, Nathan, being a man isn't about going to war and fighting. It's about so much more than that. You are a man in every way that counts. Yes, that also means that you can fight and defend when necessary. But it also means that you're incredibly kind and considerate. You do the right thing and you respect others. Please don't let this make you feel like you are anything less than you are. Remember, you're the man that I love and will be spending the rest of my life with. The man I chose for that is, well, he's quite something." Haley kissed his cheek and let her lips linger.

"I'm also a little angry, Hales."

"About them not accepting you?"

"I'm not really angry about that. Disappointed. Feeling a little less than I am, I guess."

"You aren't," she quickly said.

Nathan responded by taking her hand in his and bringing it to his lips. "I'm angry," he continued, "because what's going to happen to Keith now? Lucas is going off to war. So, what? Dan gets off free and we don't get to do what we've been planning for nearly three years? That isn't fair, Hales. He needs to pay. He needs to know that he can't run all over people and, and kill them and just get away with it. My mother doesn't deserve that."

"We'll figure something out, Nathan. I promise. We will find justice for your mom and Keith." Haley had thought about this as well during the past week. Ever since she found out that both Lucas and Nathan would be trying to enlist she wondered what would happen with Keith. She had just about made up her mind about what she wanted to do too. She wasn't sure if this would be the right moment to tell Nathan her idea. "You know, I love Lucas. He's like another brother. But, your plan hasn't gotten very far with him involved. I think that this is something that you and I are more than capable of taking care of on our own while he's gone."

Nathan looked at Haley, surprised. "You've thought about this?"

"I have."

Nathan was almost afraid of the answer to his next question, but he decided to ask it anyway. He could always trust Haley to be honest with him and he wanted it that way. "Haley, did you think they were going to turn me away?"

Haley sighed and pulled away so that she could look him right in the eye. "It wasn't that I thought that they would." She bit her lip before continuing. "I was hoping that they would. I know you could have done it. You would have been brave and strong. You also would have been so handsome in that uniform. But I can't lose you, Nathan. You're my future and if you go off to war, our future is very much in question."

Haley couldn't help the flow of tears coming from her eyes and she tried to wipe them away. "I don't want you to die, Nathan. I want you to be here so that we can have a life together and a family."

Nathan hadn't really been worried about Haley's answer when he asked the question. He knew she would have a good reason for whatever it was she was feeling. He was right. He had never met anyone who cared so much about what happened to him. He put both arms around her and kissed her, tasting the salt of her tears.

"I know one little talk isn't going to fix everything, Nathan. Just remember how much I love you."

Nathan nodded. "I do. It's one of the reasons I came here when Lucas and I got back. I had him drop me off here. I knew I'd feel better when I was with you."

Haley was happy. Knowing that she could do that for Nathan meant so much.

"I'm glad you don't want me to die," he said.

"Of course not. I don't think I could handle losing you."

"You won't," he said. "I'm not going anywhere."

Despite knowing that Haley would have to go back to work, they continued to sit together in silence. They would share the occasional kiss and smile, but they didn't say much.

"I think we should take the ledger," Haley said.

Nathan could tell from her tone that Haley was incredibly serious about what she just said. "Haley, that's a dangerous idea."

"Nathan, what other choice do we have? Lucas will be going off to basic training and then to war. I hope he won't be gone long and that this ends quickly, but I don't think that's going to happen. We need to end this. The ledger is the best piece of evidence that we have. We'll figure out how to do it soon and get to it. What we'll do is we'll take it, copy the information, then put the ledger back. Then we can take it to the FBI. Lucas said that would be best since Dan's got the local law enforcement in his pocket. It makes me sick thinking that he's bought off the sheriff's department. Then we can get him on that and he'll go away for a long time. Keith can come back and testify against Dan. He can go back to his family."

"You have this all figured out, don't you?" Despite the danger of their plan, Nathan was impressed. His girl had jumped in head first and she wanted to help as much as she could. She believed that he would be brave in battle and he knew just how brave she was in this battle. She was always brave. He loved this woman. As soon as this was over, he hoped that they could get started on their life together. He wanted to be able to give her everything she deserved and the desire to marry her immediately was growing stronger and stronger.

* * *

><p>The weekend passed and Sunday dinner had been tense. Nathan had been quiet all weekend. Haley knew that what happened when he tried to enlist was still bothering him, but she didn't want to push him. She just tried to be there for him. She noticed that when it was just the two of them, he felt a little lighter than he seemed to around others. She was glad that she could do that for him.<p>

They hadn't spoken to Lucas or Peyton about their plan to continue going after Dan. They had both acknowledged that Lucas would not be happy with this and would try to stop them. They weren't going to sit around and do nothing, though. Each day they saw Keith getting more and more frustrated as he sat down in that basement. It resulted in Peyton spending more time with him trying to calm him down, but he was always in a bad mood. Nathan and Haley also tried to spend more time with him. They could barely get a full sentence from him when they spoke to him.

The club had been busy that weekend and it was also busy that Monday night. People seemed to want to celebrate life knowing that things were rapidly changing in their world. Due to the large amount of people, it took Haley even more time to get to the bar to see Nathan.

As Nathan handed her her drink, she leaned in closer. "Tonight," she whispered. "I'm going into his office. In five minutes, I'll need a distraction." She walked away before Nathan could stop her or protest her plan. She walked away like she was a woman on a mission. He couldn't help but feel proud for her, but he was also nervous.

Nathan looked around, wanting to find some way of distracting Dan and getting him out of his office. He saw his chance. It wouldn't go well for Cooper, but it was a chance. Nathan didn't like using his uncle, but he saw it as his best shot. He leaned forward as Cooper leaned back on the bar.

"I need a distraction to get Dan out of his office. Can you do that and not ask any questions about it?"

Cooper looked at Nathan and Nathan was sure that he saw a glint of mischief in his uncle's blue eyes. "If it'll upset Dan, absolutely." Cooper quickly glanced toward a table where Rachel sat with some other women.

Cooper quickly downed a shot and turned to the bar. He picked up a bottle from the bar and smashed it down on the surface, causing it to shatter and the liquid to spill from it. Taking the remnants of the bottle, he threw it behind the bar, causing Nathan and Julian to duck.

"DAN SCOTT," Cooper bellowed. "GET OUT HERE, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" The music in the club stopped and everyone's attention was on Cooper. "You and me are gonna have it out right now!" Cooper was still shouting and still throwing bottles and glasses when Dan emerged from his office. Several of the employees were standing near Cooper, trying to get to him to stop him, but with glass and booze flying everywhere, it wasn't easy.

"What the hell is going on here?" Dan looked livid and he did actually approach Cooper. When Cooper had seen Dan, he had stopped throwing things. He closed the distance between he and Dan, getting right in his face.

"You take everything from me. Why, Dan? What is it you have against me?"

"What the hell is going on with you, Cooper? You come here night after night and why? Most nights, she isn't even here." Dan kept his calm. His voice was even and strong.

Cooper shoved Dan and the older man stumbled backward. "You were never good enough for my sister and you were never good enough for her son."

Nathan's head jerked up. He hadn't expected Cooper to bring him into the matter. He looked back toward Dan's office and saw Haley emerging. She gave him the tiniest of nods and he knew that she had succeeded in getting the ledger. Nathan turned his attention back to Cooper and Dan.

Dan had composed himself again and was holding Cooper by the lapels. He leaned in and spoke. His voice was a low whisper.

"You think I don't know the truth? I knew he wasn't mine the minute he was born. He's got your eyes, you know. And the only reason I keep them around is because it bothers you so much that I have what you want." Dan smirked and took a step back.

Nathan continued to watch and he wished he could have heard what Dan had told Cooper. Whatever it was, he had never seen Cooper so angry. The next thing he knew, Cooper had lunged at Dan and threw a punch, his fist connecting with Dan's face.

"Get him out of here," Dan ordered. Two of Dan's goons, Chase and Ian, showed up and grabbed Cooper. They literally dragged him out of the club and threw him out. Nathan hadn't intended for something like that to happen. Cooper had definitely caused a distraction, but Nathan knew that he wouldn't be coming back to the club anytime soon.

Dan disappeared into his office after ordering Haley and the band to begin playing again. Nathan couldn't wait for the night to be over to talk to Haley, but there were still several hours until he could do that. Luckily, the rest of the night went by quickly given how busy the club was.

When the employees were cleaning up for the night, Dan was still there. It happened rarely. Eventually, he came out of his office so that he could leave. He looked angry and looked on his employees with disdain. Nathan tried to ignore him and continued working.

"How many of you am I losing for this damn war?"

A few of the men raised their hands. Nathan just continued working.

"And what about you?" Dan was now standing in Nathan's way, blocking him from continuing what he was doing. "Are you going to even enlist?"

"I tried," Nathan muttered.

"You tried? You tried. What? They didn't want you? Not good enough for the Army? Hell, I thought they'd take anyone they could get for this. Guess they don't want some cripple."

Nathan felt his blood boil. He knew that Dan was angry about what happened with Cooper, but he also felt that Dan believed what he was saying. Dan didn't believe that Nathan was good enough.

Haley watched the scene unfold before her. She had never hated anyone, but in that moment she hated Dan Scott.

"Stop it," she said, trying to stand up for Nathan. She didn't want Dan tearing Nathan down. Nathan was more of a man than Dan ever could dream of being. Both Nathan and Dan ignored her.

"You're useless," Dan spewed.

"Fuck you," Nathan said. "At least I'm not a coward who runs from my responsibilities."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You know exactly what it means." Nathan turned on his heel, grabbed his jacket and left the club. The rest of the employees stood around for several moments, shocked into silence.

When Haley and the others finally left, she found Nathan waiting for her to walk her home. She knew that he wouldn't have left her there. He apologized for walking out, but she didn't blame him. She understood completely why he had done it. She had wanted to say a few things to Dan herself, but she didn't want to risk angering him. Hidden inside her coat was his ledger and she didn't want him knowing that she had it. She would return it again the next night by using the same excuse that she used with Julian the first time they searched the club.

* * *

><p>Nathan didn't stay long at Haley's that night and as he was walking home, he felt like someone was following him. He quickened his pace, but kept going. He barely had time to react when he was grabbed and thrown into a car. He couldn't see where they were going as a burlap sack was thrown over his head. He tried to struggle, but he was held down. He could sense that there was more than one of them. He tried to remain calm. While stuffed in the backseat of the car, his wrists were tied together despite his efforts to stop it from happening.<p>

Wherever they went, it didn't take them long to get there. Nathan was quickly pulled from the car and thrown on the ground. Before he could try to get up, he was kicked in the ribs. Again, he tried to get up, but he kept getting hit. A fist made contact with his face with the snack between them. Still, he felt the skin of his cheek crack and he could feel the blood trickling down his face.

Nathan placed his hand on the floor, trying to use it for leverage to get up. As he was hoisting himself up, he felt someone deliberately step on his hand. He was sure he heard his pinky finger crack. After several more kicks to his ribs he worried that they'd broken some of those too. Finally, there was a lull in the beating. He managed to reach up and remove the sack from his head. He squinted his eyes, trying to adjust them to the light in the building. It looked like a warehouse. Made of cold steel and dirty windows, Nathan thought it might be the warehouse down by the docks.

He coughed and could notice the coppery taste of blood. It had happened when he'd been punched and his lip had split open. He spit, trying to get the blood out of his mouth. He brought his hand to it, wiping away the rest. As his pinky brushed his lip, the pain from the break in his smallest finger went searing throughout the rest of his hand. He continued to squint and then realized that he was having trouble seeing because his eye was slightly swollen. His entire face hurt.

"That's enough."

Nathan didn't need to look up to know who that voice belonged to. He had a feeling he knew before they even arrived here who was behind this. His old man really was a son of a bitch. He tried to get up again, but was kicked in the stomach. He held his stomach, but stayed on the ground. He looked up and saw Ian and Chase standing over him. Chase had a set of brass knuckles on. That explained how his cheek was split open after one punch. Ian moved behind him and gently placed his foot over Nathan's bad knee. Instinct told Nathan to jerk out of the way and move, but he stayed still. He didn't flinch or cry out as Ian placed pressure, bending his knee in a way that would have been unnatural even if his knee was perfect. He looked up at his father and seeing Dan's apathetic expression, Nathan tried to keep control of his temper. He tried to remember what Lucas had told him about getting angry. He tried not to think about the sight of seeing his father kill his mother and shoot his Uncle Keith, leaving him for dead. He tried not to think about all the times that Dan had made him feel worthless, the most recent of which had been just an hour earlier.

He thought about Haley and he found some peace. She would get him through this. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to be with her. It was as if he and Dan were engaged in some sort of staring contest. But, Dan was cheating. Nathan couldn't get up and Ian was still stepping down on his knee. He wasn't going to let Dan win, though. He would be patient and wait for Dan to speak first. He would think about Haley and she would be the one giving him strength. As he was down on the dirty concrete floor, bleeding and in pain, he realized that Haley really was right. They needed to take care of their problems with Dan right away. He was too dangerous to wait for Lucas to come back from the war.

Nathan got a small sense of satisfaction when Dan was the first to speak. It felt like a tiny victory.

"That girl is a problem." Despite the fact that Dan had lost their unofficial staring contest, his manner was still calm. He acted like nothing had happened. It was as if he hadn't just had his goons beat up his own son. "I told you to stop seeing her, Nathan. You were told twice. I told you that if we had to have a third conversation that it was going to go differently.

"I tolerated it when she yelled at me once before. She tried to again tonight. If she keeps coming to your rescue… She's making you weak, Nathan. I see you two and I see how close you're getting. Tonight, you mentioned my responsibilities. I'm just trying to save you from making the same mistake that I made.

"You're headed down a murky road, son. She's a good girl, but she is still a girl. You get her pregnant, like I did with Karen, and you have two choices. You could either leave her to fend for herself. I'm sure she could do it, too. Or, you could ruin your life by staying with her. You'd never realize your full potential. Your life is over. You'd ruin her and her reputation. You don't want that, do you?"

Nathan looked at his father like he was crazy. He had to be crazy. What business was this of Dan's? Why was he so preoccupied with Nathan possibly getting Haley pregnant? Nathan was now more and more convinced that Dan had regrets when it came to Karen. He had seen the way his father would look at her and he knew that Dan believed Keith had stolen Karen from him. It was as if Dan saw parallels between he and Haley and Dan and Karen. Well, they weren't the same.

"Finish things with that girl, Nathan. I mean it." Dan swiftly kicked Nathan in the ribs, leaving his son coughing on the ground and clutching his ribs.

Nathan was angry. He thought his father was crazy, but he was also angry. He hadn't just crossed a line with this beating, he jumped over it. Nathan found some strength and shrugged Ian off of his knee. Unsteadily, Nathan got up, putting most of his weight on his other leg. He limped over to Dan and got right in his face, just as Cooper had earlier that night.

"Leave Haley?"

"Leave that whore, son."

Nathan felt his anger grow and he grabbed Dan by the lapels of his coat. He could hear Ian and Chase move closer. His eyes never left Dan's and he noticed Dan give a slight shake of his head, telling Ian and Chase to back off.

"She isn't a whore. She's the woman that I love," Nathan's teeth were clenched and his grip on Dan tightened. "You're a loser, Dan. You think you can control me just the way you did when I was a kid. You're a coward. If I got Haley pregnant, it wouldn't ruin anything. She is going to be the mother of my children someday. You think she's just like Karen and I'm just like you. I'm nothing like you. I would never repeat your mistakes. You're a loser, a coward, and," Nathan leaned in even closer and lowered his voice, "a murderer. I saw you that night. You told Keith that he stole Karen from you right before you shot them. I was there and I saw the whole thing. Don't think for a minute that I'm anything like you. I'd never be stupid enough to let the woman I love get away." Nathan gathered enough spit in his mouth. It was mixed with a little blood from his split lip. He spit directly in Dan's face before letting go of him. Without a second glance, he walked right past Dan and toward the door that he saw.

He didn't think that Dan, Ian, or Chase would follow him. He saw how stunned Dan looked at his revelation. The minute he stepped into the cold night air, he knew that it was a mistake. Lucas was always telling him to keep his temper in check when it came to Dan. He just couldn't help it this time. His father had him kidnapped, beaten, and then he called Haley a whore. Earlier, he had made him feel useless. Running through his mind as he limped through Tree Hill, he thought of what was going to happen. He would have to tell the others what he had told Dan. They would need to know so that they could be careful.

He hadn't begun walking with a specific destination in mind, but he wasn't surprised when he ended up standing in front of the café. He noticed that Haley's light was still on, so he unlocked the door and walked in. He was feeling weak and sore. The toll of the beating was finally setting in. His face hurt. His ribs hurt and he was holding his side, trying to keep himself together. It took all of his energy to make it upstairs to her apartment. He knew the door would probably be unlocked and it was.

Slowly, he pushed the door open. He saw her in her robe, her hair falling just at his shoulders, sitting at the table and writing something. She hadn't even noticed him walk in, which worried him. What if someone robbed the café at night? He would suggest to her that she lock the door from now on. He wanted to keep her safe, especially after the night he'd had.

Quietly, he closed the door and leaned against it, taking a moment to breath. Not having any more energy, he slowly slid down the door until he was on the floor.

"Haley…"

Haley had been copying everything from Dan's ledger. She wanted to get it done quickly so that it could be returned quickly. She was nearly halfway through when Nathan's voice startled her. When she saw her boyfriend's bloody face and his body slumped down on the floor she felt panic and fear swirling in her belly. She ran to him and gently cradled his face in her hands.

"Nathan? Nathan, what happened?"

"I'm okay, Hales," he replied. "I'm just tired. I just… I walked and I ended up here. I saw your light on and knew you were still awake. You should be getting some sleep, Hales." He found some energy just from her presence and he placed his hand, broken pinky and all, on her cheek. He felt stronger now that he was with her.

"Nathan, what happened?"

Nathan sat up and began to stand. He wasn't surprised when Haley began lifting him. He was larger than she was. She was such a petite woman. But she still wanted to help him up. He accepted her help and they began walking. He was headed in the direction of her sofa when she turned him toward her small bedroom, if it could even be called that. She took charge and brought him to her bed, which was still neatly made. He stood as she pulled back her comforter and blankets and sat him down on it.

As soon as Nathan sat down on her bed, he sprung up from it. He felt like he shouldn't be on it. She placed both of her hands on his shoulders and forced him to sit.

"I'm fine, Haley. I swear. Just a little sore. I just wanted to see you. I'm not staying, Haley. I just… while it was happening… I wanted to see you and be with you," he confessed, palming her cheek and rubbing his thumb along her cheek bone.

Haley laid a soft kiss on the palm of his hand and left him there, sitting on her bed. He heard her leave the apartment, so he stood up and went to the sofa. He couldn't stay on her bed. He was feeling better now that he was there. He just needed a good night's rest. It wasn't like he hadn't been in fights before and been punched. This fight was just a little one sided.

He waited for Haley on the sofa knowing that when she came back he would have to tell her what had happened with Dan. He had also made a decision that he knew she wasn't going to like. Still, it would keep them both safe. That was what he wanted most, even if it meant that he would be unhappy. That thought made him uneasy as he sat and waited for Haley.

His head jerked up when she came in. She was carrying a bowl of water and a towel. She looked at him and shook her head before heading to the other side of the wall separating the common living area from what was her bedroom. When he saw her again, she went to the bathroom and emerged carrying something in a bottle. She stood in front of him, grabbed his hand, and led him back to her bed.

"Sit down and stop arguing, Nathan. I mean it."

With a nod of defeat, Nathan sat. He would let her do this, but then he was leaving. He would not be staying the night.

"Haley, I did something really stupid tonight and it's gonna change things."

Haley had been in the middle of taking the damp towel and using it to clean up Nathan's cheek. She stopped and looked at him. He saw nothing but concern in her eyes.

"Nathan, tell me what happened. Who did this to you?"

He laced his fingers together in his lap and looked at his hands. "I think my finger's broken."

"Which one?"

Nathan held up his right hand and pointed to his pinky. Nodding, Haley went to her dresser and started digging through the bottom drawer. She pulled something out and Nathan tried to turn to look at her, but found it difficult with how sore his torso was. He could move and he didn't have any sharpness when he breathed, so he supposed that his question about whether his ribs had broken was answered. Haley returned with a slip of fabric. Gently, she took his hand and wrapped his pinky finger to his ring finger.

"It's the best I can do, but we should really take you to Dr. Durham."

"I'm fine, Hales. I'm fine. I promise."

"Nathan, you need to tell me what happened." She sat down on her bed next to him, leaving barely any space between them. She reached for his hand, careful not to hurt his finger. Before he could speak, she brought the damp cloth to his cheek again. The bleeding had stopped while he was walking to the café. She set the cloth down and lightly kissed the wound. Nathan closed his eyes, reveling in the feel of her. He would miss her so much. This would hurt more than anything ever had before.

"Dan. Dan did this," he finally said. "He told me that I have to stop seeing you. He's lost his mind, Hales. He really thinks that if I stop seeing you, it'll somehow make up for what he did with Karen. I really believe that. He sees you and me as him and Karen. He thinks I'm gonna ruin your life or you're gonna ruin mine."

"Nathan, we both know that isn't going to happen. He can't stop us from seeing each other. I can't believe that he did this to you. Your own father. Nathan, now I'm even more convinced that we're doing the right thing. We need to take him down and quickly. He's resorted to hurting you. Everything will be fine once we get him in prison where he belongs."

"Haley, I did something really stupid. Really, really stupid."

"What, Nathan? What could you possibly have done?"

"I just got so mad at him, Hales. This past weekend… I just have felt… and I know you told me to try not to and I'm okay with not going… I guess. I was just already feeling bad about it and then at the club he made me feel worse. Then he has those two goons pick me up and beat me up. He… he… he called you a whore, Hales. He told me to leave you and he called you a whore. I just got so angry that I told him I knew what he did. I told him that I was there that night." Nathan looked down, feeling ashamed. He then stood up and began pacing.

Haley noticed that he was limping more than usual. "Nathan, what happened to your knee?"

"Ian stepped on it."

"Oh, Nathan."

"Haley, I love you. You know I love you, right? And that I would never do anything to hurt you?"

"Nathan, what's going on? You're scaring me." Haley stood up, reached for his shoulders and got him to stop pacing.

"Haley, you know, right?"

"I know you love me, Nathan." She knew that she needed to tell him that before he continued. "What's going on?"

"Haley, I have to keep you safe. I have to. I have to leave Tree Hill. If I leave, then he won't get to either of us. I was thinking and I'll take Keith with me. We'll settle somewhere and after a while, I'll come back for you. I don't expect you to wait for me, but if you do… I'll come back for you. It's not safe for you, Haley."

"Nathan Royal Scott, you stop your rambling right now." Haley felt her anger rise. She had made it clear to him that they were in this together. "You think you can come here all bloodied, bruised, and beaten up and tell me that you're leaving me for my own good? What did I get done telling you just a few days ago? I told you that I cannot lose you. I love you." She didn't want to cry, but she couldn't help it.

"Haley, I just want to keep you safe. If something ever happened to you…"

"Something would happen to me if you left, Nathan. I couldn't handle that. I need you in my life. I need that future we talked about." She wrapped her arms around him, not caring that there was blood on his shirt and not knowing that his torso was just as bruised as his face. "If you really think that leaving is best, then I'm going with you."

"Haley, no."

"Why not?"

"Because you have Karen, Lily, and Brooke here. Lucas. And Peyton will need you when Lucas leaves. You help with the café and you've been working so hard to afford to go to school. Just promise me something, Haley. Promise me when I leave you won't go back to the club. He's crazy."

"I can promise you that tonight was my last night working there. I can also promise you that you mean more to me than anyone else. Peyton will have Karen and Brooke. They'll have Peyton. I need to be where you are. I told you when I found out about Keith that it's you and me, Nathan. We're in this together."

"Always and forever," he said, his resolve to leave her crumbling. If he was honest with himself, he knew it wasn't very strong. Leaving her would be the hardest thing he would ever have to do and he wasn't convinced he could do it. She was making it very difficult.

"Always and forever. That's right, Nathan. You're my present and my future and I'm yours. Honestly, you know we'd both be miserable if I agreed to this ludicrous plan of yours. But, you're right. We should take Keith with us."

"Haley, I can't ask you to leave your home. Maybe Dan is right. Maybe we shouldn't be together. Look what he's done to me."

"Dammit, Nathan!" Nathan cringed. She'd never sworn at him before. He wasn't sure she had ever done it at all. "Stop trying to be a martyr! How many times do I have to explain this to you? You and me. You. And. Me."

He pulled her closer to him, ignoring the pain. "I love you, Haley James. I love you so much."

"I love you too. That's why I'm going with you." Her mind was racing. The minute Nathan told her what he had done and that he was leaving, she knew that she would be going with him. He needed to get away from Dan and she wouldn't be without him. She had been thinking of where they could go. She had an idea. "We'll go to Charleston. At least, we can start out there. My brother Ned tells me every time he writes me that I can come live with him. We'll make it work. We can start out there and then find somewhere more permanent. Everything will be fine, Nathan."

"Are you sure about this, Haley? Really sure?"

"You're my home. I'm sure of that. I'm sure that I need to be wherever you are. I'm sure that I love you and that you love me."

"I do love you."

"Come on," she led him back to her bed and sat him down on it. She took the bowl and cloth and set them on her small table, not giving the ledger another thought for the night.

"I should get going," Nathan said as she returned. He watched as she untied the sash of her robe, revealing a simple pair of pajamas. He remembered that her bed was still turned down and he found the palms of his hands getting sweaty.

"You should sleep here tonight."

"Haley…"

"Nathan, you're hurt. And I need you here. After you threatening to leave me, I need you here," Haley thought it was a little low making him feel guilty, but the truth was that she needed the security of having him there.

He hadn't even removed his jacket and didn't stop her when Haley lowered the zipper and began lowering it from his shoulders. With her help, he took that off, as well as his vest, tie, hat, and suspenders. He kicked off his shoes and stood up.

"I'll sleep on the sofa," he announced.

"Nathan, no. Please. Just hold me. I know that if someone sees you in the morning, they will talk. I know it isn't proper for us to be in the same bed, but I don't care. I just want you to hold me tonight. Now, what do you usually sleep in?" Her hands were on her hips and he knew that she wouldn't be discussing the matter of sleeping arrangements with him anymore.

"I have pajama bottoms and I usually just stay in my undershirt."

"But, it's freezing outside."

"Blankets."

"Well, you'll have to sleep in your trousers." Knowing he probably wouldn't take his shirt off, she began doing it for him. He almost laughed when he brought a hand to hers to stop her and she swatted it away. He wasn't going to win any arguments with her tonight. He realized that. Honestly, the idea of sleeping next to Haley and holding her all night sounded so good to him.

Haley momentarily walked away to set Nathan's things aside. Not thinking, he removed his undershirt from his trousers. He heard Haley gasp and saw her bring her hand to cover her mouth.

"Oh, Nathan." She went in front of him and knelt. He didn't try to stop her when she lifted the tank top undershirt from him to inspect the large bruises on his stomach and ribs.

"I'm fine, Hales. I'm just sore. And angry at him. But I'm fine."

Haley nodded and bit her lip. She got into bed next to him and both sat there nervously, not knowing what to do.

"I guess we should go to sleep," Haley finally said. "You could use the rest."

"I could," he agreed.

Haley laid down flat on her back and Nathan followed suit. Her bed was just a double and it barely accommodated the two of them. In fact, Haley was sure that she could see Nathan's feet hanging off the end of the bed. The awkwardness could be felt by both of them, but neither was quite sure what to do. This was such a new experience for both of them.

"Are there enough blankets?"

"Yes, thank you," he replied. Nathan reminded himself that she wanted him there. She told him that that was what she wanted. He rolled over onto his side and looked at her. She looked so tense. There was no way that they could sleep like this. He reached over her and turned off the lamp. He then wrapped his arm around her and held her, just like she'd asked. He could swear he felt any awkwardness leave them in that moment. With his arm around her midsection, she put her arm over his.

"Goodnight, Nathan. I love you."

"I love you too, Hales. Goodnight," he said, kissing her forehead.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Dan sat in his dining room, sipping his coffee. He hadn't slept the night before. He didn't want to be, but he was worried. His son had seen what he did two and a half years ago. Dan was trying to figure out why Nathan hadn't told anyone what he had seen. He didn't think of his son as intelligent, but keeping quiet may have been the smartest thing Nathan had ever done.<p>

He stared at his wife as she walked in. As always, she was perfectly manicured first thing in the morning. Not a single hair was out of place, her makeup was impeccable, and he was sure that she was wearing a new skirt and blouse. She lit a cigarette and waited at the table for Ida to pour her coffee and serve her breakfast.

"You didn't come to bed last night," she commented.

"No. I didn't. But, if you missed me, I'm sure that Cooper Lee would be happy to keep you company. I'm sure he already does."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Rachel said nervously.

"I don't know what I ever did to make you think that I'm stupid, my dear. You think I haven't known for a while that Tommy isn't my son? Unfortunately for him, he's looking more and more like Cooper every day."

"You've been working too hard, Dan. You're imagining things," she said desperately.

Quickly, Dan stood from his chair and in a few quick strides he was standing in front of his wife. "Do not try to play me for a fool. I know exactly what has been going on. You were a marriage of convenience. You were pregnant and my wife had died. The public likes knowing that I found happiness again with a young wife and a baby. You're here simply because you look good to voters. That is it. You're here until I have no more use for you," he spewed.

She stood and faced her husband, "Dan-."

She was cut off when Dan hit her with the back of his hand. She fell to the ground, knocking down the chair. Her hand went to her cheek, which was throbbing. He had been distant and cold. She had seduced him simply for his money and their marriage had never been ideal. She was in a predicament and he could help her with that even if he didn't know he was doing it. He had never been cruel before.

She was shocked and didn't know what to do. She just sat there as he left. She heard the door close and then decided to get up. She was surprised when she felt someone helping her. She looked up and found Ida there. Rachel had never spoken to the woman other than about household matters. There was nothing else to say. She thought she saw something in Ida's eyes, though. It was like Ida was seeing something familiar.

Rachel opened her mouth to say something. She wasn't sure what she wanted to say. She felt like she needed to say something, though.

"I'll see to Mr. Tommy," Ida said before Rachel could say anything.

Rachel went to the phone and picked it up, asking the operator to connect her with a familiar number. She kept bringing her hand to her cheek. She hoped it wouldn't bruise. She had made such a mistake and now she was realizing that more than ever.

* * *

><p>Haley had been awake for several minutes now. She had slept so well in Nathan's arms. She knew that she would soon have to get up and get ready for the day and opening the café, but she wanted to stay where she was. Despite the bruise around his right eye and the cuts on his cheek and lip, Nathan looked so peaceful in his sleep. She placed her hand on his chest, feeling his heartbeat. She then kissed the exposed skin just above the top of his shirt.<p>

She hadn't intended to wake him up, but she felt him stir. She blushed when he looked at her, his eyes still groggy with sleep.

"How do you feel?"

"Perfect," he answered.

"I'm serious."

"So am I." He offered her a smirk and kissed her. It was a slow, sensual kiss. It was the perfect way to say good morning. "I loved staying here with you last night, but I should probably go before someone sees me. We wouldn't want me ruining your reputation."

Haley let her fingers dance over his face, feeling the cuts and bruises. His eyes closed at her touch. He kissed the palm of her hand.

"We have a lot to talk about," she said. "We have a lot to plan."

He nodded. "Well, we don't have to work tonight," he joked. "We can talk to Lucas tonight. He's not going to like this."

"Well, it really isn't up to him. We can't make decisions based on what Lucas does or doesn't like."

His hand rested on her cheek. "Thank you," he said.

"For what?"

"Not letting me leave you. I don't know if I could have survived it."

She kissed him. "Don't ever try that again. I'm serious, Nathan."

He nodded and sat up. She tried helping him get dressed, but he wouldn't let her. He assured her that he was fine. He got himself washed up and while he was doing that, she went downstairs to get him a cup of coffee. He drank it quickly, wanting to get out of there so no one would see him.

As he was kissing her goodbye he was overwhelmed by what he was feeling. She really was too good to be true and she wanted to be with him. She loved him. That overwhelming feeling didn't leave him as he made it to the front door of the café. He didn't see anyone in the streets. As he went to unlock and open the door, he paused. He didn't want to leave Haley. Not now and not ever. Before he could second guess himself, he went back upstairs to her room. He opened her door and found her clearing off the table. She was still in her pajamas. Her hair still hadn't been brushed and was flowing down at her shoulders. She wore no makeup and she looked both surprised and happy to see him back there.

He took his hat off and began twisting it in his hands. Now that he was there and doing this he was nervous. They hadn't planned this, but one thing that Nathan had learned in the past two and a half years it was that plans often got cast aside. Things happen.

"Nathan, what's going on?" She set down the bowl of water she had used the night before to clean him up.

"I love you," he blurted out. "No one wants me." He saw her open her mouth to speak. "Let me do this, Hales. Please." She nodded and let him continue. He stayed by the door and she stayed on the other side of the room by the table. "The military doesn't want me. My own father thinks I'm a good for nothing loser. I'm… I was a bartender. Now, I have no job. I live with my brother and sister-in-law saving everything I can. But, you want me. You won't leave me even if it's for your own good. You won't let me leave you and I'm not even strong enough to do that. You want me. You love me.

"I've got nothin' to offer you, Hales. I'm not smart. I'm just a washed up ball player with a bum knee. But, I love you. More than anything, I love you. Everything in the world got better when I met you. Ever since you came into my life, everything is better. I'm not afraid of anything. I'm not afraid of not having baseball and I'm not afraid of Dan. I am afraid of something. I'm afraid of losing you. I don't want that at all.

"You make me so happy. You're the first person to ever get me to really smile and feel like everything would be all right. All I want is to make you happy. I think I can make you happy. Any other girl, she woulda gotten scared after last night and no one would have blamed her for leaving my ass and ending this. Not you. You refused to let that happen and we got stronger last night, Hales. I feel it.

"I've got nothing to offer you. Except for me. I've got to hope that's enough." Nathan closed the gap between them and took her face in both of his hands and kissed her as if his life depended on it. He took a step back and with some difficulty, he got down on one knee before her. He grabbed hold of her hand and kissed it. When he looked back up at her there were tears in his eyes.

"Marry me, Haley James. We already planned to spend the rest of our lives together, so let's start that now. We'll go to Charleston and I'll talk to your brother. I'll ask him properly for your hand. Marry me."

Haley's eyes went wide the moment he got down on one knee. She had been confused when he first came back in the apartment. Her heart had broken as he told her that no one wanted him. She had been curious and on edge as he gave his speech, wondering where he was going. His emotions were raw and his heart was on his sleeve. She had never seen him so vulnerable. When he said that they had gotten stronger the night before her heart had surged. She took comfort in him acknowledging that because it meant that he wouldn't try to leave her again.

She ran her hand through his hair, which was still messy and uncombed. She let herself get lost in his eyes, which she swore were more blue when they had tears in them. He was looking at her with such hope and optimism and it was then that she realized that she hadn't given him an answer yet.

"Just when I think that I couldn't possibly love you more," she said. She felt the tears falling and she didn't even try to wipe them away. "You are my always and my forever."

"Marry me," he repeated.

"Yes," she said, leaning down to kiss him. She kissed him as if her life depended on it. She didn't stop kissing him as he stood, with some difficulty. She didn't stop kissing him as he lifted her off of the ground and hugged her tightly to him. She didn't want to stop kissing him. Not now and not ever.

"Today," she said. "I want to marry you today."

* * *

><p><strong>Note: <strong>I really, really want to get the next chapter out soon, so I'll do my best. I really hope you liked that. Also, I am planning the story after this one as this is winding down. It'll be called _I Love You, but I Don't Know What to Say_.


	22. A Life With You

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Notes:** I'm glad you all liked the last chapter so much. This chapter and the next are basically one big thing, so I'll try to have the next one up as soon as possible. It might be the biggest chapter of the story, so I'm glad it's ended up being chapter twenty-three. I know I said that the story was winding down, and it is, but that doesn't mean it's over yet. I also have the next story planned out so I can begin that almost as soon as I end this one.

* * *

><p>"Today," Nathan repeated. "You want to get married today?" He finally set his fiancée back down on the ground.<p>

"Do you not want to?" Haley bit down on her lip. She tried to pull her hands away from his but he wouldn't let her. Instead, he pulled her closer and brought his lips to hers. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. She let her lips linger on his, letting him cloud her mind. She easily found herself lost in a haze.

After several moments he stopped kissing her and pulled away. She looked at him and saw that his eyes were still closed and that a peaceful smile was on his lips. "Nathan, talk to me."

"I would marry you whenever and wherever you want, Hales. I just don't want you to have any regrets. I want you to have a great wedding with your family there and all of our friends."

Haley kept her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. "Nathan, I think we both know that that isn't possible right now. Look in a mirror. Look what Dan did to you." She gently put her hand on his bruised cheek. The cut was healing, but it was still red and nasty looking. "He won't let us have the wedding we should, Nathan. We're leaving town and we both know that it has to be as soon as possible. So, when we leave and go to my brother's, I would love if I was your wife."

He sighed and rested his forehead against hers. "You're right. I'm sorry that you're right. You deserve better. I will give you everything you deserve someday, Haley. I promise you."

"Just be the best husband you can be and I'll be fine, Nathan. I just need you."

"Okay. But I'm still gonna give you a great life."

"Marry me today and you will. I know it."

He nodded. He reached behind him and took her hand from his neck and then took the other, which had been on his face. He brought both of her hands to his lips and kissed them. He looked down at her left hand and smiled. "We can't get married in Tree Hill," he stated. "Any ideas?"

She bit down on her lip and thought. He hadn't let go of her hands and she liked it that way. She wanted him to hold onto her forever. "Well, my sister Quinn and her husband David decided to get married in Kill Devil Hills. Do you know it?"

"I've heard of it. It's kind of a funny name."

"It comes from when they used to run rum here. Hundreds of years ago. They called rum Kill Devil."

"Really?"

"Really. Anyway, there was a little chapel there with a minister. He and his wife do weddings that are, well, at the last minute. It's such a sweet little cottage on the beach where the chapel is. I think it would be nice. It's about four and a half hours away. Do you mind driving that far?"

Nathan shook his head. "No, I think that it would be best, actually. I think it would be better to not be near Tree Hill. You never know with Dan. If it's that far, we should leave early. I could go and get ready and pick you up in two hours. Would that be okay?"

Haley knew she would have to rush, but she wanted to do it. She wanted to marry him as soon as possible. "Okay. Two hours. I think we should come right back here afterward. Then we can tell everyone our news and what our plans are tomorrow. We do still need to tell them that as soon as possible."

"This is more important."

"It is. It's a lot more important. I should go so we can get ready." He kissed her. "I love you. I love you so much."

"I love you too."

Nathan was smiling as he went to the door. He stopped when he heard Haley's voice.

"Nathan. Pack some things. So you can stay here until we leave."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. I'm marrying you tonight, aren't I?"

He nodded and left, wanting to get out of there as quickly as possible. The sooner he left, the sooner he could return. He walked out of the café and locked the door, not noticing that there were now people in the streets. They were looking on him with curiosity, but he paid them no attention. He had a stop to make before he went back to Peyton's. He knew now would be a safe time to go.

* * *

><p>The house was quiet when he approached it. He hated coming there, but he knew he needed to. There was something that he needed there. He tried opening the door and, sure enough, it was unlocked. He did his best not to look at the living room as he passed it and went upstairs to his old bedroom.<p>

Nathan knelt on the ground in the far corner of the room. Lifting up the loose floorboard, he found what he was looking for. It was wrapped in an old rag, just as he had left it. He could feel its weight in his hand, but he still unwrapped it. He wanted to be sure that it really was there. He was relieved to see the black metal of the revolver. He checked it to see if it was loaded and saw six bullets. It was just as he had left it.

Dan had given Nathan the gun when he was sixteen years-old. He had told Nathan that every young man should have one. Nathan had accepted it because he thought he should. He thought it made him feel closer to his father. It hadn't and Nathan had hidden the gun underneath the floorboards and barely gave it another thought. He would need it now, though.

He stuffed it inside his jacket and was about to go downstairs when something from the window caught his eye. He did his best to open the window as quietly as he could and tried to keep out of sight. His uncle and his step-mother were in the backyard with Tommy. Cooper was holding Rachel and Tommy. Nathan strained to hear him.

"I'll kill him if I have to, Rachel. I will. He can't hurt you," Cooper vowed.

"Cooper, no. He'll try to hurt you. I'm so sorry that I've put the three of us through this."

"I'll take care of both you, Rachel. You won't live as comfortably as you do here, but I will take care of you."

Nathan watched as Cooper touched Rachel's face tenderly. When she turned her head Nathan could see the redness on her cheek. Now he knew what Cooper was talking about when he said he wouldn't let Dan hurt her anymore.

"He had money and I thought I needed it, Cooper. I got scared and I thought I needed it for me and Tommy."

"I know. I forgive you."

"You shouldn't," she said.

"I do. I'll take care of him. If he tries anything else, I will kill him. I promise you that, Rachel."

Nathan kept watching. They didn't say anything, so he quietly left. When he reached the bottom step he heard Ida working in the kitchen. He would have loved to go in and say goodbye to her, but he was in a hurry. He had already wasted time by stopping to listen to Cooper and Rachel. He didn't have time to worry about them now. He really had to hurry if he was to be on time for Haley.

* * *

><p>Haley had rushed through getting the café ready. She had never worked at it that quickly and she worried that she had missed a few things. Her mind just wasn't on work. It couldn't possibly be after what had happened that morning. She was nearly finished getting ready and didn't have very long at all until Nathan was going to pick her up. She placed a few more pins in her hair and looked at herself in the mirror. It wasn't bad, she thought, considering how little time she had to do it in. The dress had been designed by Brooke. Her hair was simple, but she thought that it was elegant. She applied some lipstick before putting her coat on and grabbing her handbag.<p>

The café wasn't quite open yet, but when Haley walked downstairs she found Karen in the kitchen. She could feel the nerves in her as she approached the woman she cared so dearly for. If she were getting the wedding that Nathan wanted her to have, Karen would be there for her. Karen meant so much to Haley.

"Karen," Haley interrupted. "May I speak with you?"

Karen looked up from the stove. "You don't have to ask, Haley. What's on your mind?"

"I, um," Haley reminded herself not to bite her lip. She didn't want to ruin her lipstick. "I need to ask you for a favor. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."

"What is it?" Karen stepped away from the stove and went to Haley. She took in the elegance of her hair and the light makeup. She knew that something was going on.

"I need to take today off, Karen. I promise, I will explain everything tomorrow. I just need today off."

Karen saw that Haley was nervous and she wished she wouldn't be. The girl never asked for anything. She especially didn't ask for a day off. Karen had no reason to deny the request. She could handle the workload for the day and she knew she could count on Brooke to help out.

"Of course, Haley. Of course you can have the day off. Is everything all right?"

Haley nodded her head vigorously. "Yes. Everything is definitely all right." Haley quickly leaned in and hugged Karen. "I'll speak with you tomorrow."

Karen didn't have the chance to respond. Before she could say a word, Haley was out of the kitchen and out of the front door.

Haley nearly skidded to a halt when she saw Nathan. He was leaning against Lucas's car with a rather sorry looking bouquet of flowers in his hand and a smile on his face that reached from ear to ear. She was sure it matched her own smile. She could feel the corners of her mouth stretching upward and trying to stretch even further.

She stopped when she reached him, her smile never leaving her face.

"All the flowers are kinda dead," he explained. "These were the best ones I can find."

"I love them," she said, reaching for them. She looked at him. He had a tie on, which wasn't something he normally wore unless he had to. His hair was combed and he wasn't wearing his hat. He had on his nicest trousers and she could tell that he'd shined his shoes.

"You look absolutely beautiful," he told her. He hadn't even seen her dress, which was hidden beneath her coat. The blush that colored her cheeks made her more beautiful. She took his breath away. "Are you ready?" When she nodded he opened the door for her and waited until she was situated in the car before closing it. Across the street, someone was watching them and as they drove away, he turned and headed toward City Hall.

Driving out of Tree Hill and through North Carolina, Haley had scooted closer to Nathan and he was driving with one hand on the wheel and his other arm wrapped around Haley. He was doing his best to watch the road in front of him, but couldn't help looking at her. God, this woman was stunning and in just a few short hours, she would be his wife.

They made small talk. They would comment on the scenery passing them by. He asked what she had told Karen and she had asked what he had told Lucas and Peyton. Much to Nathan's relief, neither Lucas nor Peyton had been there when he got to the house so he didn't have to speak to them. As he explained to Haley, he got dressed, packed a few things, and wrote a note saying he would return the car the next day.

"Are you hungry? Did you eat something?" It occurred to Nathan that they had been in such a hurry that she might not have taken the time to eat. He had grabbed a couple of slices of toast, but that was it. Truthfully, he was too excited to eat.

"I ate. I'm fine," she told him. "You know, I didn't think that this would happen for a while. That we would be doing this."

"I know," he answered. "I didn't either. I wanted to, Hales. This is… I would have loved to have given you a great wedding with friends and family there. I'm sorry that we're in this situation."

"Nathan, I know. I know that Dan forced us into this, but I'm not sorry. Today I'm happier than I've ever been in my life."

"Me too."

"So," she said, wanting to change the subject so that he would stop apologizing, "what did you pack?"

"Oh, well, a few shirts and some trousers. A few other things. Pajamas. Haley, are you sure that Karen won't mind if I'm there at the café?"

"I know she won't, Nathan. She's been rooting for us. When we tell her we're married, she'll be fine. Besides, it's only for a few days. After that, we'll be headed to Charleston to Ned's."

"He's not gonna like me."

"Nathan, of course he will."

"Hales, I'm the guy who went off and eloped with his sister looking like he got into a barroom brawl. He isn't gonna like me."

"He'll be fine. In the last letter I wrote to him I told him that I was seeing you and that things were quite serious. I told him that I loved you and was going to spend my life with you."

"You did? What did he say?"

"I doubt he's gotten it yet. I mailed that letter yesterday morning. You're still worried, aren't you?"

"A little. You've got three older brothers."

"Don't worry. I'll protect you. If there's one thing I learned from an early age, it's how to handle my brothers. Besides, you also have Vivian in your corner. Our corner."

"You know, it's nice having someone to share that corner with."

"You always will."

* * *

><p>Dan walked out of City Hall with Chase and Ian behind him. Chase had told them about seeing Nathan with Haley that morning and Dan wasn't pleased about it at all. He had been in a bad mood all day and both Chase and Ian were on edge because of it. Walking out the front door, Dan nearly collided with someone. He was about to apologize for it. The Mayor of Tree Hill was polite to the citizens of his beloved town. Then, he saw who it was.<p>

"Watch where you're going, you little weasel."

"Of course, Mr. Mayor. Anything you say," Mouth retorted.

"Watch your tongue. It's your own fault that you're unemployed. If you had kept your mouth shut, you'd still be working instead of wandering around town like a loser."

"One of these days, Dan. One of these days," Mouth said, taking off. He wasn't surprise when he was grabbed by the collar and stopped.

"Just what is that supposed to mean?"

"It just means that someday you're going to make the wrong person angry and then you'll regret it."

"And that wrong person isn't you?"

"It might be. I'm not the pushover that you think I am." Mouth shrugged Ian off of him and walked away, leaving Dan angry.

"Did Johnny leave for Charleston?"

"Sure did, boss. Left this morning with the envelope," Ian answered.

* * *

><p>Nathan and Haley both felt a fluttering in their stomachs as they arrived in Kill Devil Hills. They pulled over near a small market and Nathan went inside to ask where the chapel was. After getting directions, they drove there and Nathan could feel the palms of his hands getting sweaty. He wasn't nervous about marrying Haley. He just worried that she'd think twice about what they were doing and ask him to drive her home. He knew that he was being ridiculous. She wouldn't do that. She kept telling him that she would be there for him through everything. He knew that she loved him.<p>

Even though his knee was still bothering him from being stepped on the night before, he jogged to the other side of the car when they got there, wanting to open the door for her. When he opened the door, she was looking in the rearview mirror, straightening her hair and makeup. He didn't think that she needed it. As if she could sense his nervousness, she leaned on her tip toes and kissed him on the cheek, looping her arm through his as they walked to the door. They knocked, not knowing if they should enter or not.

An older woman, even shorter than Haley, with a kind smile and gray hair opened the door to them. "Well, there are two things a young couple would come here at this time of day for. The first is that they're here to see friends get married. I'm guessing you're the second reason. You're looking for a wedding. Come on in. Richard is just inside and we can get things squared away." She stepped aside to let Nathan and Haley inside.

Nathan and Haley felt at ease in the house. The outside was very charming. There was a garden and even though it was winter and flowers weren't in season, it was still bright and brought about a sense of a new beginning. Inside, it was bright and airy. They both thought it was perfect for their wedding. Even more perfect was that the house was right on the beach. They could hear the waves as they waited on the porch.

They followed the old woman into the parlor and stood near the door, Haley's arm still looped with Nathan's. He quickly removed his hat out of respect. He wanted to smooth out his hair, but he would have had to let go of Haley to do that.

"You two can come in," the woman said. "We won't bite. Have a seat. Richard will be right in. My name is Edith."

The older woman left Nathan and Haley sitting on their own.

"This is nice," Nathan whispered.

"It is. Are you nervous?"

"About marrying you? Never. Just make sure you don't realize that you're way too good for me and bolt, okay?"

"I'm not too good for you, Nathan."

"You're not going to convince me of that. We're going to have to agree to disagree."

"Just give it time. One week into living with me and you'll think twice," she smiled. "I'm not perfect."

"Well, you are to me."

Their conversation ended when Edith came in with a tray of coffee and snacks, followed by a man they assumed was Richard. Both of them stood when the other two came in the room.

"This is the young couple, Richard," Edith said, setting the tray down. "Have a seat, you two. No need to stand on our account. I didn't ask your names, forgive me. Let's get you more comfortable. Let me take your coats for you." Edith wouldn't take no for an answer and waited as Nathan and Haley handed her their coats. Nathan turned to look at Haley, seeing her in her dress for the first time.

"Wow," he whispered, not taking his eyes off of her.

"Thank you," Haley blushed. "Brooke made it."

"It's not just the dress, Hales. It's you."

Mindful of the two other people in the room, Haley continued to blush.

"I'm sorry, I didn't get your names," Edith repeated.

"Um, my name is Nathan Scott and this is Haley James," Nathan introduced them. He stuck his hand out in Richard's direction. The old man took it and looked them up and down.

"What happened to your face?" Richard was studying the bruising on Nathan's face. Nathan knew it looked worse than it had the night before now that the bruises had a chance to fully develop.

"Uh…," Nathan struggled to find the words to answer the man.

"What kind of trouble have you been getting into?"

"No trouble, sir. I promise."

Haley decided to step in and tell the man the truth. "His father did this, sir. He doesn't approve of our relationship."

"Your father? He did this?"

Nathan nodded his head.

"Why doesn't he approve?"

Nathan sighed. "He lives in the past and he thinks I'm going to make the same mistakes that he did."

"Are you?"

"Not at all. I love Haley, sir. All I want is to marry her and make her happy."

Richard nodded and offered a small smile. "We'll get your paperwork set up and then get you married."

"Sir, I know it's a little cold outside, but it's so nice out there," Nathan observed. "Do you think you could marry us on the beach?"

Richard noticed how happy the idea seemed to make Haley and he saw as the girl clung to the young man even more.

"That sounds like a fine idea, Richard," Edith spoke, knowing that her husband would never say no to her. Richard nodded and led all four of them just outside. They stood on a patch of grass facing the sand.

"Do you want your coat?" Nathan noticed that there was a light breeze. It was making his tie blow a little. Haley looked beautiful in her dress, but he didn't want her to be cold.

"No," she said. "I'm fine. Thank you." Truthfully, she was cold, but she didn't want to marry Nathan in her coat.

Nathan nodded and then let go of Haley's hands. He ran his hands over his hair, trying to smooth it out. He was sure that it had gotten messed up when he'd removed his hat. He tried getting it to lie flat on his head, but he could feel part of it not cooperating.

"Let me," Haley said, bringing her hand to his hair. Her fingers gently smoothed it out and she smiled.

"Are we ready?" Richard was standing and waiting for them with Edith at his side, looking happy. She had been to hundreds of weddings, but she always loved them. Certain couples would strike her as special and the two young people in front of her were one of those couples.

Haley looked to Nathan and he nodded. Any nerves he felt before were gone as they stood before Richard and Edith and were just seconds away from pledging to be together for the rest of their lives. He was now with the woman he loved. She hadn't run away scared when she saw what Dan had done to him. She was right; they had gotten stronger. Now, they were on a beach and she was absolutely beautiful and she wanted to be his. He was tempted to pinch himself to make sure that he wasn't dreaming.

"We're here today to witness Nathan and Haley joined in holy matrimony," Richard began. "Love is something that is common, but what is more uncommon is when people understand the gravity of love and everything it involves. Nathan and Haley are here to promise that they do understand that and that they will spend their lives together. Nathan, please go ahead."

"You've given me so much, Haley. You gave me back my confidence. More than that, you gave me something to look forward to. Walking you home from work was the best part of my days. It made me so happy just to be with you. We didn't even have to say anything. I had something to look forward to and not just the next day or the day after that. You made me look forward to a life… a life with you. I love you, Haley. Anything could happen. This beach might wash away, the oceans may dry, the sun could dim. But on that day, I'll still be loving you. Always and forever." Nathan saw that Haley had tears in her eyes and he realized that he did as well. He didn't try to wipe them away.

"Always and forever," Haley mouthed, not saying the words aloud. She had smiled so much that day, just as she was now, that she was wondering if her face might stay like that permanently.

"Haley," Richard prompted.

"Nathan, you found me at a time when I wasn't really whole. I was basically sleepwalking through my life and because of you, I woke up. They haven't invented words for how much I love you and for how happy I am to be spending the rest of my life with you. That doesn't mean that it won't be hard and that we won't face challenges. It just means that we'll be doing it together. We'll always be together to love and support each other. I've found a stillness and a bravery in you. I love you. Always and forever."

At the same moment, they each gave each other's hand a squeeze. They smiled when they did it and they felt that familiar spark run through them at the contact.

"Now, do we have rings?"

"No," Haley answered.

"Actually, we do," Nathan said, pulling two gold bands out of his pocket. He handed Haley the larger one while he held the smaller, more delicate band between his fingers.

"Nathan…," she said with awe. Without thinking twice about it, she leaned on her tip toes and kissed him lightly.

"We're getting ahead of ourselves," Richard commented.

Feeling slightly reprimanded, Haley and Nathan pulled apart, but their smiles remained.

"Now, Haley, do you take this man, Nathan, to be your husband?"

"I do," she said.

"Place the ring on his finger."

Happily, Haley slid the band onto Nathan's left hand.

"Nathan, do you take this woman, Haley, to be your wife?"

"I do."

"Place the ring on her finger."

Nathan did so and he did it with reverence.

"By the power vested in me by the state of North Carolina, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride, Mr. Scott."

Nathan gently put both hands on Haley's face and kissed her softly. He felt her lips part slightly and he took advantage of it by sucking on her lower lip before parting.

"Congratulations, you two," Edith said, beaming at them. "We'll get your marriage license filed straight away and we'll take a picture of you two and send it out as soon as we have it."

They did just that. Edith took a picture of the two of them and they were glad that they would have a picture from their wedding day. Nathan couldn't take his eyes off of Haley. Yes, the dress was beautiful. It was off white and had long sleeves. It had a thin band of lace around the neck and a row of buttons down the entire length of the back. The skirt went just to her knees. It was simple and it was elegant. The dress was not what made Haley beautiful. Her dresses had never done that. She was beautiful all on her own. All she needed to do was to be Haley. Nathan imagined that he made quite the picture next to her, with his face bruised and beaten. If Haley didn't mind, then neither would he.

* * *

><p>Peyton put her head in her hands, trying to rub out the headache that she was getting. She'd been spending nearly every day in the basement with Keith when she was home and he was getting more and more frustrated. He wouldn't speak much. If she asked him a direct question, he gave one word answers. It had gotten worse when he was told that Lucas would be going off to war.<p>

Keith felt conflicted about the entire situation. Lucas had promised to help him and get him back to his family. Now, Lucas would be going off to Europe or the Pacific. Keith didn't know how long he would be gone or how much longer he would be in that basement. The minute that Keith found out about Lucas enlisting, he felt like the walls of the basement were slowly closing in on him. He felt like he had no room to breathe.

Keith had loved thinking about his wife and daughter. They brought him such comfort in the nearly three years he had been away from them. Now, he also found thinking about them painful. He felt pain at the thought that it could be several more years before he could see them again. He would miss out on so much more of Lily's life. He wouldn't get to hold Karen or just look at her.

"When does your husband leave?"

Peyton was surprised. It had been a while since Keith had asked any questions. He just took what he was told and didn't do anything about it. Now, he seemed to want to talk. Peyton looked at him worriedly. She didn't know how to answer because she knew that she wouldn't be able to give him an answer that would satisfy him. There was no way that she could. It wasn't lost on her that they hadn't been able to give Keith answers that would satisfy him since they began this entire thing.

Peyton was now faced with an uncertain future. Lucas, the man she loved more than anything, was going off to war. If she thought that investigating his father and trying to bring him down for his crimes was dangerous, that was nothing compared to the prospect of him going off to war and possibly being shot by Japanese or Germans. Keith hadn't seen his family in years. Lucas was her family and now she would have to live without him for an uncertain amount of time.

"We'll figure something out, Keith. I promise. I know you can't stay down here the entire time he's gone," Peyton said.

"You can't promise anything, Peyton. You kids… Don't think that I don't appreciate what you're trying to do, but this has been a disaster. Lucas saved my life. I know that. You three and now with Haley… you've tried. It just isn't good enough Peyton."

"Keith, we're close. They found the ledger and they just need to figure out how to use it against Dan."

"Peyton, what good is that damn ledger stuck in Dan's safe? I have half a mind to walk in there and take it myself. What are the chances of him killing me twice?"

"Keith, you can't do that."

"I want to see my wife, dammit. Peyton, my little girl took her first steps. She said her first words. I wasn't there for any of it. My brother, he gets a wife and a new son. He gets a family and I'll bet you anything he doesn't care about them. I know him well enough for that. There's only one woman he ever loved. But, he gets to live his life. I'm as good as dead stuck down here, Peyton. He should be dead. Not me."

"Lucas is worried, Keith. I know it. He feels guilty that he's going off to fight and that you're stuck down here. None of us wanted this war to happen."

"But it did. I don't blame Lucas for that. You know, I really thought that things would be different once we came back to Tree Hill. I thought that things would be different once Haley found out. In some ways, it has been better."

"She has gotten us further than we were before."

"It isn't enough, Peyton. I'm going crazy down here all day. At least men in prison get to go outside for some fresh air. At least they get visits from their families."

"We're your family, Keith."

"You're not the same and you know that, Peyton. You know that as much support as you're gonna get from Karen, Nathan, Haley, and Brooke that it won't be the same without Lucas here once he goes off. You know it. I can see it in your eyes. You're dreading it."

"He's my family."

"You know a little how I feel, Peyton. But there's a difference. You get to leave the house. Lucas will know you're alive and well. It's a miracle that Karen hasn't found someone new. It's a damn miracle. You know, I think I'd really like to be alone, Peyton. I appreciate you kids coming to visit me, but not right now."

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> So, Dan keeps making more people angry. I hope you enjoyed the wedding. :) Thank you for reading and reviewing!


	23. So Closely Together

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Notes:** I'm so glad you all liked their wedding! This chapter was more difficult to write, so I hope you like it. The next one is also a pretty big chapter, so I'll try to have it up soon.

* * *

><p>A knock on the door got his attention. Before he could even tell the person to come in, they came barging in.<p>

"Ned James?"

"Can I help you?"

"I work with your sister. I'm worried about her."

"Which sister?" Ned stood from his chair.

"Haley."

"You work at the café?"

"No, no. I work at Dan's. The nightclub where she sings."

"Haley's been working at Dan's?" Ned felt the color drain from his face. He'd been worried about Haley for a long time now. He knew that Karen would look out for her, but even then he was worried about her on her own. She had never been on her own before.

Ned let his visitor speak and voice his concerns. When he finished, he opened the envelope that the man had left. His hands began to shake as he saw the pictures. He realized that he was in such shock that he never even got the man's name. When the man left, Ned picked up the phone.

* * *

><p>Karen was running around the café and so was Brooke. Brooke had no experience waiting tables, but she was doing a decent job of taking food to people and collecting their plates when they were done. She had been surprised when Karen told her that Haley requested the day off. Peyton had come in and Brooke wanted to talk to her about it, but didn't get the chance with how busy they were. They were so busy that Peyton even put on an apron and began helping. She couldn't tell anyone, but part of her was glad to have a reason not to go back to the house and to have something to keep her mind off of Keith.<p>

Karen set plates of food down in front of Mrs. Hannon and Mrs. Crowley. She stopped when Mrs. Hannon cleared her throat.

"Karen," her voice was a loud whisper, "you know we care about Haley."

"Of course."

"Well, we're a little worried about her. You see, we saw Nathan Scott leaving the café early this morning. It looked as if he had been here all night. We know the two of them have been getting close."

"Well, sometimes, Nathan helps Haley set the café up in the morning," Karen explained, having no reason to believe that there was any other reason for Nathan to have been there.

"Well, if you say so," Mrs. Hannon said, skeptically. "We're just concerned for her."

* * *

><p>Dan sat in his large armchair in the living room of his house. His wife and Tommy weren't home. He had sent Ida away. It was just him in the living room with a fire lit and a bottle of scotch. The past twenty-four hours had thrown him. He had no idea what to do about Nathan. He regretted that he had to have Nathan beaten, but the boy just wouldn't listen.<p>

Dan liked Haley. That was the problem. He knew that the girl was falling for Nathan the way that Karen had fallen for him. It was a dangerous path. Dan could trace every problem he had to the moment he didn't fight for her all those years ago. He remembered standing outside and seeing his brother with Karen and their child. He had left and he had regretted it each day since.

When Haley had come into his club looking for a job he hadn't known what to make of it. As it turned out, she remained the sweet, innocent girl that he had first believed she was. She was like Karen before his actions forced her to grow up.

Dan understood what he was doing with Haley. He was trying to make amends, though he knew he never really could. Karen hadn't asked him for anything since Lucas was born, yet she cared enough to ask him to look after Haley.

Nathan was just like him. Nathan had followed Dan's advice to use girls and then leave them. He played the field. That wasn't good enough for someone like Haley and if he let their relationship continue then he wouldn't be keeping his word to Karen to look out for her.

Now, he was going to be forced to act again. The call he had gotten from the mayor of Kill Devil Hills to congratulate him had thrown him. So, now, he sat in his chair thinking about what his next move would be. Would Nathan tell what he knew if he tried to force them apart? Nathan held all of the cards and Dan didn't like it one bit. Still, Nathan had married the girl. Did this mean that his son truly did love her? Did it mean that she was already with child and he was about to become a grandfather? Either way, Nathan had done what Dan always wished he could do. The emotion that Dan hated most was jealousy and right now, he was jealous of his son. Lost in his thoughts, he didn't hear when someone came in and stood right behind his chair.

"Sitting at the scene of the crime, huh? How've you been, Little Brother?"

* * *

><p>The rain had begun to fall as Nathan and Haley drove back into Tree Hill. They had stopped at a diner on their way back for something to eat. Instead of sitting across from each other, they sat side by side. Now, they were arriving back in Tree Hill. Haley had noticed the time as they were leaving the diner and realized that they would actually be getting back just after Karen was closing the café. Haley was glad for that. She didn't want to hide her husband, but she also wanted to spend their first night together completely alone.<p>

Nathan parked the car on the street beside the café and, taking his bag in his hand, he and his wife walked inside. Neither said a word, but they also never stopped holding hands. Haley was about to open the door to her apartment – their apartment – when Nathan stopped her. He opened the door, set his bag down inside, and scooped her up into his arms.

"You're going to drop me," she squealed with delight.

"Drop you? Never. I could throw you across this room like a fastball if I wanted. Want to try it?" He smirked and winked at her.

"Don't you dare!"

"I just wanted to carry my bride across the threshold," he explained.

"Your bride. I like the way that sounds."

Once they were inside, he kicked the door shut with his foot and set her down. He removed his hat and jacket as she took off her coat.

"Do you want anything? Are you hungry?" Haley was biting down on her lip and fiddling with her wedding band.

Nathan didn't answer her. He placed his hands on her face and kissed her. "I'm fine," he said. "Hales, we don't have to do anything tonight. I won't push you into anything. I promise."

Haley wrapped one arm around his neck and the other she used to gently grab hold of his tie. "As far as being a husband, you're off to a pretty good start."

"Am I?"

"You are. You've also never pushed me into doing anything that I don't want to do. I want this. I want you and I'm done with trying to act like I don't want you as much as I do."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"I know, Nathan." She ran a hand gently over his bruised face. "I love you. We can't avoid that it's going to hurt. Just, go slowly and be gentle with me."

"Of course. You're sure?"

"I'm sure. I want to make love to my husband," she said, making sure she said the words exactly so that he would know what she meant. She didn't want to leave any doubt in his mind.

"I'm nervous," he admitted.

"What do you have to be nervous about?" She was surprised.

"Well, I don't want to hurt you but I also don't want to disappoint you. Also, well," he laid his forehead against hers, "my knee is ugly and I'm all bruised."

"Are you sore? Does any of it hurt?"

"Not really."

"Well, I'll be gentle too," she winked. "I don't care about how your knee looks or how bruised you are. Well, I care about the bruises and I hate how you got them. But it doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, Nathan. I just want to be with you. But, if you don't want to-"

"No, I do," he interrupted. "I do want to make love to you. I'll be slow and gentle. You'll let me know if you want to stop?"

She nodded and leaned up to kiss him. "I'm just going to the bathroom. I'll be right out."

"Okay," he replied.

In the bathroom, Haley watched herself in the mirror as she removed the pins from her hair, letting it fall to her shoulders. She had used a lot of pins and it felt good to get them out of her hair. She thought that she didn't look nervous. She felt nervous, but she felt like she didn't look like it and she was glad for that. She took a few moments, calmly breathing and trying to get her nerves under control. She knew that that was a losing battle, though. No matter what, she was going to go out there, her husband would see her naked, and he would be making love to her. She wanted that. She wanted him. But that didn't stop her from being nervous and it didn't stop the nagging voice in the back of her head wondering if Nathan might find her unattractive once he saw her without her clothes on. He had always told her that she was beautiful… When she eventually left the bathroom she found Nathan standing in exactly the same spot where she had left him. She thought that he did look nervous and that made her feel a little better about things. At least they could be nervous together.

"I was taking the pins from my hair," she explained. "There were a lot."

"Oh. It looked really beautiful. You're beautiful," he said with a small smile. They both stood rooted in their spots unsure of who should move first. Finally, Nathan took the tentative steps to reach her. She smiled at him and he noticed that she was once again fiddling with her wedding band. He took her hand and the two walked together behind the partition to where her bed was. Their bed. Nathan looked down at it and saw that she had made it immaculately. He wasn't surprised. Haley was neat and tidy.

Nervously, Haley let go of her husband's hand, pulled on the comforter, quilt, and sheet and turned down the bed. She looked back at Nathan and still fiddled with her wedding wing, not sure of what she should do with her hands. She was still fiddling with it when she felt Nathan take hold of her face. He looked into her eyes. The look in his blue eyes put her at ease and she swore she saw them get a few shades darker.

"I love you. I'll take care of you," he told her. He nuzzled his nose against hers. That was all she needed to hear to help calm her. The nerves didn't disappear completely, but those nerves were being taken over by anticipation. They hadn't even really touched yet. They hadn't even really kissed.

"I love you so much, Nathan."

Hearing her words, Nathan crashed his lips to hers. It wasn't long before his tongue sought entrance to her mouth and she allowed it. Their tongues massaged each other in a duel that neither wanted to win and neither wanted to lose. Hearing Haley moan, Nathan took things a step further. He began unbuttoning the long line of buttons down the back of her dress and with each button, he felt himself becoming more and more aroused. Just knowing that he would soon be with Haley was turning him on. He wondered if she could feel it yet since they were pressed so closely together.

Haley hadn't even been aware that he was unbuttoning her dress because she had been so lost in his kisses. She wasn't aware of it until she felt his hand splayed across her back through the fabric of the slip she wore underneath her dress. Her fingers fumbled, reaching for his tie. When she found it, she had to use both hands to undo it before she threw it to the ground. For a brief moment, she realized that under any other circumstances, she would have neatly set the tie aside. She didn't have time to think of it for long. Nathan's lips were now attached to her neck and his hands were pulling her dress from her shoulders. She pulled his suspenders away, barely able to concentrate on anything but what his lips were doing.

"Is this okay?" His voice was low, husky, thick with his desire for her. He pulled her closer to him and he felt her moan in her throat as his lips were attached to it. He sucked on a patch of skin, then licked it before kissing it again. She had one hand threaded in his short hair, her nails grazing his scalp. It only spurred him on. He was vaguely aware of her unbuttoning his shirt.

"I'm fine, Nathan," she finally answered. "I'm more than-," her response was cut off by another moan when she felt him through his trousers. She tightened her grip on his hair, pulling on it a little. Momentarily, she forgot that she was in the middle of removing his shirt. She did remember, though, and used both hands to push it from his strong, broad shoulders. Her hands went up and down his arms, feeling the muscles. Tingles went through his body at her touch. He laid a gentle kiss on her now bare shoulder. Her dress was still mostly on and he pulled away a moment to look at her.

She knew what he was asking and she loved him even more for asking it. She nodded in response and he pushed the dress from her body and watched her shimmy out of it. It fell to the ground in a pool at her feet. He was about to pick it up for her and set it aside, knowing she would want to keep it neat, but instead he saw her cast it aside with one foot as she reached up to kiss him again.

Her skin was warm beneath his hands and he let one splay across her back, just above her slip. He felt her bare skin and he thought he felt her shiver. He pulled her even closer, if that was possible. He had one hand at her shoulder and as he kissed her, he moved it to her chest. He could feel her heart hammering just above her breasts. He moved his hands even lower and felt himself grow harder knowing what he was about to do. He could feel her lifting his undershirt from his trousers. She had a hand on his waist and was lifting the shirt higher and higher. Before he could touch her where he wanted to, he let her lift the shirt from his body, leaving his torso bare.

Her hands gently caressed his body, careful not to put pressure on the bruises on his side where he had been kissed. She kissed his chest and he ran his hands through her hair. He lifted her head back to his and kissed her deeply. He took her by surprise by cupping her breast through her slip. Again, he was rewarded with a moan from her. This was the loudest yet. He palmed her breast in his hand and could feel her nipple harden.

"I want you so much," he wasn't afraid to tell her. His erection was straining against his trousers and he knew without a doubt that she was feeling it.

"I want you too," she said, her voice barely a whisper. It was all she was capable of. She felt a heat within her and she felt a wetness at her core. Before she could tell him what she wanted, she could feel herself blush. She wished she wouldn't blush, but she couldn't help it. She bit down on her lip to hold in a moan that threatened to escape when he put more pressure on her breast. "The other one," she finally said.

Knowing what she meant, Nathan moved his hand to her other breast, giving it the same attention as the other. She couldn't suppress the moan that came out when he pinched on her nipple.

"Did you like that?"

"Yes," was the only word she could get out. Wanting to feel more of him, she plucked up her courage and brought her fingers to the button of his trousers. Her eyes were closed in ecstasy as he fondled her breasts, but she was sure that if she looked down she would see a bulge in his trousers. She could feel it. She slowly unbuttoned his trousers and lowered the zipper. She could feel the nerves in her again as she contemplated touching him. He was touching her and it was exquisite. His hands felt so good on her that she wanted to make him feel good. She realized that it would be best if she didn't think about it much. She reached into his pants and cupped him through his boxers. He was stiff and solid and barely fit in her small hand.

Unconsciously, Nathan thrust into Haley's hand when he felt her touch him. He let out a guttural moan and stopped touching her. He pulled away to look into her eyes.

"The way you were touching me… it felt so good and I've wanted you to touch me for so long… I just wanted to make you feel as good as you make me feel," she explained.

"You do, Hales. You do." As they were talking, her hand was still in his trousers and her fingers were still cupping him through his boxers. He managed to control himself and not thrust into her hand again, but it was difficult. He had wanted her for so long. She briefly removed her hand, though. He tried not to be disappointed and wasn't when he realized that she was moving his trousers past his hips. He let them fall to the ground, kicked off his shoes and socks, and stepped out of his trousers, kicking them in the same direction that her dress had gone. Haley did look down now and saw the tenting in his shorts.

"Nathan?"

"Yes?" His hands were on her soft shoulders, his fingers underneath the straps of her slip.

"What… what does it feel like?"

He hadn't expected her question and he couldn't explain it, but it only turned him on more. "It, uh… it's a throbbing."

She kept her gaze down, studying the outline of it through the fabric of his underwear. "Does it hurt?"

"No. Not really."

"When I touch you?"

"It feels so fucking good."

Haley wasn't shocked at his choice of words. His words made her feel empowered. She loved that she had that kind of control of such a vulnerable, yet strong part of his anatomy.

"Can we… can we take them off?" She said, letting her fingers dally at the waistband of his boxers. Her lip was between her teeth and she was looking at him with apprehension.

He was unable to speak. Her innocence was shining through and it was only turning him on even more. He could swear that he was getting harder throughout this conversation. She was innocent and she was curious and she wanted him. He was about to move his hands to his waist when she stopped him. She lowered his boxers past his firm, round backside and his erection sprang free from its confines. It was curving upward he was so hard.

"It feels better when I touch you?"

He nodded and closed his eyes when he felt her hands around his length. He could tell from her touch that she was unsure of what to do, but she seemed determined to do it. He could feel the precum seeping from him and his eyes went wide with shock when she placed a finger to the tip, letting the fluid get on her fingers.

"H-how does this feel?"

"So good, Hales. So good." He let her touch him a bit more before stopping her. "But if you don't stop… when we finish this, I want to be inside you."

Instead of finding his words vulgar, Haley found them erotic. The dampness between her legs grew and she rubbed her thighs together for some relief. She looked at her completely naked husband. Despite the bruises, he was a beautiful man. Even with the bruises, he was a beautiful man.

Nathan realized that he was the only one naked. His eyes never left hers as he bunched her slip up and lifted it further and further. She didn't stop him. Her eyes were filled with trust and love. He finally lifted the garment over her head and cast it aside. Looking down, he saw her full breasts, her nipples erect. Left in just her underwear, garter, and stockings, she was magnificent. He scooped her up in his arms and laid her gently on the bed. Before lying with her, he looked at her. She moved her arms to cover herself, but he stopped her.

"Don't. Don't ever do that. You're perfect, Haley. You're stunning."

She nodded and bit down on her lip as he lowered himself on top of her. He kissed her passionately and she didn't hesitate to run her fingers through his hair, bringing him closer to her. She could feel his erection and wanted to feel more of it. Before she could tell him what she wanted, though, his mouth was traveling lower and lower until her took her breast into his mouth and sucked and nipped at the rosy skin. She moaned louder than she had before and held his head closer to her, hoping that he would never stop. He did the same with her other breast and her fingers were just itching to reach down and touch him, but he had told her she shouldn't. Her hands did travel lower and were now just below his belly focused on the fine trail of hair leading to his manhood.

Acting on instinct, Haley wrapped her legs around Nathan's waist and ground herself into his erection, feeling some relief for the throbbing between her own legs. There was relief, but at the same time she wanted even more.

She opened her eyes when his mouth left her breast. With heavy lidded eyes, she watched as he unhooked her legs from around his waist and moved lower until he was on his knees at the foot of the bed. She wondered what he was doing until he began running his hands down her legs. Slowly, at a tortuous pace, he undid every clasp on her garter. Still slowly, he removed her stockings.

He stopped and looked into her eyes. "I love you," he said.

"I love you too." Knowing what he was asking, she added, "Go ahead."

Slowly, he lowered her panties, revealing every inch of her. Not wanting her to feel vulnerable, he covered her body with his. She quickly wrapped her arms around him. He was careful not to crush her and put his weight on his elbows as he kissed her. He could kiss her forever and be happy. He wasn't going to just be kissing her though. There were no more barriers. They were in bed together and completely naked. Nathan reached down and covered them with the blankets and comforter, wanting her to be as comfortable as possible. He stopped kissing her for a moment looked at her. Her lips were swollen from their kissing, her eyes were closed, and her lips were slightly parted.

"You're my wife," he stated, simply.

"I'm your wife," she said, her eyes opening. "I want you, Nathan."

He began kissing her again and his hand went lower and lower. She let out a gasp in surprise when she felt his fingers at her womanhood. He ran one finger along her folds, causing her to whimper. Cautiously, he inserted one finger inside of her. She was warm, wet, and tight. When she moaned, he added another finger. She clenched around his digits and he took that as a good sign. He moved his fingers in and out of her. When she kept clenching, he added pressure on her clit with his thumb. She gotten into a rhythm with him and began thrusting her hips against his hand as he continued moving his fingers in and out of her and massaging the sensitive nub.

Haley hadn't imagined that it could feel this good with him just using his fingers. She lost all control of her thoughts as he continued working her into a frenzy. The heat within her grew and grew and without warning, she screamed his name as she exploded and reached her climax. She tightly grasped onto his shoulders, her finger nails digging into his skin. As she was coming down from her first orgasm she tried to steady her breathing. Before she could get full control of it, he was kissing her again.

"That was…," she began.

"Was it okay?"

"It was. More than okay." She was having trouble forming words, but as she came down from that high she was aware of Nathan staring at her.

"I don't want to hurt you," he said, knowing that it was going to happen now.

"I know you don't. I love you and I know you'll take care of me."

"I'll stop if you want me to. Just say the word, Hales."

She nodded and wrapped her arm around his neck, bringing him closer so that she could kiss him. She put her tongue to his lips, asking for entrance. She sighed happily when he granted it. She felt his tip at her entrance. Even that felt good. She felt a burning want in her belly, but felt that nervousness creep in again. She parted her legs further, allowing him in the cradle between her thighs. She wrapped one leg around his waist, pulling him closer and letting him know that it was okay.

Nathan kept kissing her as he slowly eased himself inside of her. He used all of his restraint so that he didn't hurt her. Having her warmth around him felt so good. As he eased himself into her, she gripped onto him tighter and tighter.

Nathan stopped when he felt that barrier. This was it. He hated the thought of hurting her and now he would actually have to do it. She hadn't stopped him, though. She wanted this. He would hurt her this once and then that would be it. He wouldn't have to hurt her again. It was taking everything in him to not thrust into her. She felt so good.

With one quick thrust, he was fully inside of her. Haley gasped at the pain and held onto him even tighter than before. She shut her eyes and tried to keep the tears from falling. It hurt more than she expected it to, but she knew that it couldn't be avoided. Nathan was still inside of her. She was waiting for the pain to subside and to get used to the feeling of having him inside of her. She was surprised that he even fit inside her. He wasn't moving and she could feel his gaze on her even though her eyes were closed.

"Hales?"

She was biting down on her lip. "I'm okay, Nathan."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded and finally opened her eyes to look at him. "It's getting better. I promise." He shifted his weight on his elbows and when he moved she felt him move inside of her. Instead of pain, she felt pleasure and she moaned. "I think you can move now. I'm sure," she said, knowing that he was about to ask it.

Slowly, Nathan pulled out of her almost completely. Slowly, he thrust back into her. She felt so good wrapped around his manhood. Several slow strokes later, she began to relax and move with him. She also began moaning with pleasure, which he took as a good sign. Just as he had promised, he was slow and gentle with her. She began meeting his thrusts and on each down stroke, he made sure that he bumped her clit, causing her even more pleasure.

Unexpectedly, she wrapped her other leg around his waist, hooking her ankles together at the small of his back. This allowed him to go deeper in her and he groaned. He hadn't expected her to wrap both legs around him and he also hadn't expected her to squeeze him as he thrust into her. He allowed himself to quicken his pace and she continued to moan. He changed his angle and his pelvic bone hit her clit, causing her to scream out his name.

The pain hadn't lasted long and now Haley was feeling nothing but pleasure from head to toe. The more he moved within her, the more she wanted to move with him. She felt the feeling she felt when he had his fingers in her and she knew that her climax was coming. Sure enough, a few strokes more and she came crashing down, her back arching into him and her sheath fluttering around his shaft.

"I love you," he groaned and with one more thrust he spilled his warm seed inside of her. He tried not to collapse on top of her but couldn't help it. She didn't push him away, though. Instead, she ran her fingers down his back and through his hair. He did try to move off of her, but she stopped him.

"Don't. I like you on top of me," she said. "Don't go."

"I don't want to crush you."

"I'm fine, Nathan. I'm better than fine."

He didn't move off of her, but he did lean up on his elbows. "You're really okay? I hurt you."

"I'm fine, Nathan. It did hurt, but we knew it would. After that, it was…," she trailed off.

"What?"

"It was amazing," she said. "You were amazing."

"So were you," he told her. "That was… I've never…"

"You're at a loss for words," she joked.

"It's never felt that good, Hales. I know you were worried about that. Just know that. It's never felt like that. Not that good. I love you," he said, kissing her.

"I love you too," she said. "I have no regrets."

"Neither do I. This is the best day of my life, Hales."

"Mine too."

He still didn't make a move to move from on top of her. He was still inside of her. A thought occurred to him and now he did move from her. He pulled her to him and she turned in his arms so that she was facing him.

"Hales?"

"Yes?"

"What if we get pregnant? You know I want to have children with you. Just… what are we going to do if it happens now?"

"I don't know," she said honestly. "But I meant what I said about not having regrets. And if we have a baby now, I won't regret that either."

"I won't either. It'll be hard. I'll work on finding a job as soon as we get to Charleston. I will take care of you and our baby. I promise."

"I know you will. And I don't want you to stop making love to me just because we might get pregnant."

"Are you kidding, Hales? You think I could stop making love to you after that? Not a chance!"

"Good. You know, I feel even closer to you than I did before."

"Me too. I'm glad we shared this together." He ran a hand down her side and stopped when she giggled and squirmed a little.

"I'm ticklish," she explained.

"Oh really?" Nathan raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Let's see how ticklish you are, Mrs. Scott." He grabbed her sides and began tickling her, causing her to laugh. He continued, loving the sound of her laughter and that he was the cause of it. He moved so that he was on top of her, pinning her to the mattress with his body as he continued to tickle her. She finally stopped fighting him and instead wrapped her arms around him and began kissing him.

* * *

><p>Outside the café, Ned James pulled his car up to the curb. He looked up at the apartment and saw that there was a light on. He hoped that that meant that his sister was there. If she was there, then maybe it meant that she wasn't working at Dan Scott's nightclub. The club was open now. If she worked there, she would be there. If she wasn't working at the club then maybe what he was told earlier in the day was wrong. Maybe she would have an explanation for those pictures. He went to the door and was about to knock on it when a voice stopped him.<p>

"Ned?"

"Lucas," Ned said.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to see Haley."

"I'm hoping she's home myself," Lucas muttered. Pulling some keys from his pocket, he unlocked the door and let Ned in. "Come on in."

Ned followed Lucas, his fists clenched at his sides. As they reached the top of the stairs, they heard a man's voice. Ned's fists clenched even more. When he heard his sister shriek, he took action and barged into the apartment, brushing past Lucas and nearly knocking him down.

* * *

><p>"Did you hear that?" Haley stopped and looked at Nathan. "It sounded like someone was out there."<p>

"I'll take a look." Nathan stood up and Haley couldn't help admiring him. She watched with her lip between her teeth as he searched for his boxers. She clutched the blankets closer to her, feeling colder now that he wasn't in bed with her. After putting his boxers back on, he turned to smirk at her. Not thinking that there was any real threat, he leaned in and kissed her.

"You son of a bitch, get off of my sister!" Nathan was pulled from Haley and before he could react, he was turned around and a fist collided with his cheek, breaking open the cut that was closing. He was knocked on his rear and he heard Haley shriek and call out his name.

Haley looked up at who had come in the room. She saw her oldest brother looking down at her husband. A vein in his forehead was pulsating and he was about to go in for another punch.

"Ned James, don't you dare hit him again! Get out!" She looked to the other occupant of the room and saw Lucas with his back turned, looking very uncomfortable. "Both of you, get out of here right now."

* * *

><p><strong>Notes:<strong> I like bringing in Haley's family, so that's why Ned is here. I know; his timing is awful. I'm attempting to create this perfect storm of problems, which you'll see more of in the next chapter. It will continue right where this one leaves off, so basically chapters twenty-two through twenty-four are all one thing. Thanks for reading and reviewing!


	24. He's Still Your Father

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Notes:** So, there was a wait and it's also on the short side. Still, I hope you like it. It's a very busy chapter.

* * *

><p>"Told you he'd hate me," Nathan said, trying to joke. Ned and Lucas had left the room, leaving Nathan and Haley to put on some clothes. Nathan pulled on his trousers and his undershirt and watched as his wife put her slip back on and covered it with her robe. She approached him as he sat on the edge of their bed and gently placed her fingers on his now cut open, bleeding cheek.<p>

"I wish people would stop hitting you," she said. "I'm so sorry."

"Hales, if I was in his place and I found us the way he did… I don't know. I think I'd do the same thing."

"It still doesn't excuse it, Nathan. He had no right barging in here."

"We should probably let them back in," Nathan said. He took Haley's hand and stood up.

"What is he even doing here?" Haley was mostly asking herself instead of Nathan. She knew he wouldn't know the answer. Nathan stood a bit behind Haley as she went to the door. Her face was set in a glare and he didn't envy the position Ned would be in. Haley had a temper when she was protecting someone she loved and right now she was protecting her husband. Haley opened the door and saw that her brother looked just as angry as she did. She also saw Lucas with a damp cloth and the first aid kit that Karen kept in the kitchen. She roughly grabbed it for him and without a word, turned back to Nathan. She left the door open, knowing that they would get the hint and come in.

Everyone was silent as Haley went to Nathan, sat him on the sofa and began cleaning his wound. She was gentle with him. Almost reverent. He could see the concern on her face, but he also saw the anger etched on her features. He put his hand to hers where she was applying antiseptic to his cut.

"I'm okay," he told her.

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure."

With a small nod, Haley turned to her brother. Nathan was struck by how quickly her demeanor could change. She had been so sweet and loving with him and now, facing her brother, he saw that she was filled with fury.

"What are you doing here, Ned? You have no right – no right! – to come in here and start throwing punches!"

"Haley, calm down," Ned told her.

"Calm down? Ned, you came barging into my apartment in the middle of the night!"

"To find you… to find you… in bed with this thug!"

"So you thought you'd come in here without even knocking and punch him? Ned!"

"Haley, what was I supposed to do? You're up here in Tree Hill doing God knows what. We've tried to get you to come live with one of us so that we can take care of you and you refuse. Then I hear you're working at the nightclub and you've taken up with some good for nothing bartender!"

Haley felt her blood coursing through her veins. Her heart was beating rapidly and she knew that her hold on her temper was quickly fading.

"Some thug? Some thug? Ned, I wrote to you about him! In my last letter I told you that I had met someone and that we were seeing each other. In the letter I just mailed you, I told you that I was going to spend my life with him. If you had kept calm instead of running up here like a mad man, maybe you would have gotten that letter and calmly asked me what was going on instead of coming in here and punching my husband!" Haley was yelling and her face was red. She was mere inches from Ned, and Nathan and Lucas both swore that they noticed Ned shrinking back a little.

"Husband? Haley Bob James, what are you talking about?"

"No. Not until you tell me what's going on here. How did you hear that I was working at Dan's? You're the one who barged into our home and started a brawl."

Ned could see the resolve in her face and knew from years of experience that there was no stopping her. "Me and Eli have been talking ever since mom and dad died. We've been worried about you the whole time. You're stuck here in Tree Hill and you won't leave. We've offered time and time again, Haley, for you to come live with one of us. We'll take care of you."

"I'm an adult, Ned. I can take care of myself and I have been. I'm not a little girl."

"Haley, what am I supposed to think? Some man comes into my office and tells me that he works with you at the club. I didn't even know you were working there. Do you know what kind of people go to that club? Then he tells me that you've taken up with some bartender and that he was seducing you and you were falling for it. He showed me some pictures of the two of you. Kissing. You were outside the café here at night. What am I supposed to think?"

"You're supposed to trust her," Nathan said. He stood up and went next to Haley, taking her hand. He could feel it shaking with her anger and he gave it a gentle squeeze. "She's your sister. She's still the same person she's always been and she doesn't do anything without thinking about it first."

Ned opened his mouth to speak, but was stopped.

"Don't, Ned. You show him some respect. He is my husband and this is our home. You also owe both of us an apology. You shouldn't have hit Nathan and you should have trusted me. Nathan was right about that."

"Haley, I only knew what that guy told me. You've been so distant. You didn't tell me about working for Dan Scott."

"I know, Ned. I know that. But you still should have trusted me! Who was this that came to you, anyway? No one at the club would have done that." The realization hit Haley almost as soon as she said it. "Dan. Dan did this."

"That son of a bitch!" It was now Nathan's turn to clench his fists. He let go of Haley's hand and headed to find his shirt and some of his other clothes. "I'll kill him. I'll kill him with my bare hands. What the hell does he think he's doing? First last night and now this! He's got no right."

"Nathan," Lucas finally spoke. Until now, he had just been a witness to the scene going on.

"Nathan, you know you can't go near Dan." Haley stopped him. Standing right in front of him, she placed her hands on his forearms. "You know that after what happened, you can't go near him. I know you're angry, but we're fine. You and me."

Nathan nodded and bent his head to kiss her softly, not caring that there were two other people in the room. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"Nathan, you can't go after Dan," Lucas said, stepping forward. He was still in his uniform and he carried his hat in his hand. "You picked a hell of a night to visit, Ned." He looked at Ned with a shrug. "A hell of a night."

"What's going on, Luke?" Nathan was still holding onto Haley. She had been able to calm him down when he was angry with Dan and he was grateful for it.

"It's what I came here to tell you."

"What?"

Lucas began fiddling with his hat. "I'm here kind of in an official capacity. The thing is… well, the thing is Dan's dead, Nate. He's dead."

"What?" Nathan's eyes went wide with shock. He was vaguely aware of Haley tightening her grip on his hand and leaning into him. "What do you mean he's dead, Lucas?"

"He was found in his office at the club. Julian went in to talk to him and found him. He was shot."

"He's dead?"

"He's dead, Nate. I saw him myself. The thing is, we were questioning some of the others who worked there and they said that the two of you exchanged words last night and that no one had seen you since. The sheriff wants to talk to you."

"Lucas, is Nathan a suspect?" Haley's voice was grave and filled with concern.

"He just wants to talk to him, Hales. We both know he didn't kill Dan, so he'll be fine. I'm supposed to bring you in."

"We'll finish getting dressed," Haley said, excusing she and Nathan. "We'll meet you both outside."

"How are you?" Haley waited until Ned and Lucas had left the room until she spoke to Nathan. So much had happened that she didn't know which way was up and which way was down. She did know Nathan, though, and right now she was worried about him.

"I don't know," he answered honestly. "I don't know, Hales. I mean, he's dead."

She nodded and leaned up to kiss him. "Let's just go down there and get this over with. Then we can sort out Ned and get some rest."

"Okay. Okay," he kissed the top of her head as they left the apartment.

* * *

><p>The sheriff's station was bustling when Lucas drove them there. Deputies were running in and out of the place. Haley and Nathan followed Lucas as he led them inside with Ned following them, knowing that he was really in the way there. Once they were in there, it wasn't long before the sheriff took Nathan into another room. Lucas went to a desk and began working with some of the other deputies. Haley and Ned sat awkwardly next to each other on a bench as they waited.<p>

"Haley," Ned began.

"Later, Ned."

"Haley."

"Ned, my husband is being questioned in the murder of his father. Not now."

"You married him, Haley. I barely knew a thing about him except what you told me in your last letter. You haven't told me anything in a year. Your letters are vague. You say you're working hard and then you tell me how everyone else is doing except you."

"If I had told you earlier that I was working at the club you would have coming barging up here sooner than you did."

"Yes, I would have. Did you tell anyone what you were up to?"

"Everyone here knew. I told Vivian. She didn't like it, but she understood that I needed the money."

"Haley, we would have helped you."

"I didn't want charity, Ned. I wanted to stand on my own two feet. That doesn't mean I didn't accept help. I did. I just wanted to do it on my own."

"And this guy you married?"

"He's Lucas's brother."

"The one you used to complain about all the time for being a bully and a jerk."

"He's different, Ned. He's such a kind, thoughtful man."

"How'd you two start this thing up?"

"He worked at the club too. He was a bartender. We get off work late at night, so he started walking me home so that I'd be safe. It began there. We became friends. Then we became more. Vivian has met him, Ned. He drove me up to see her, Charlie, and the baby."

"He treats you good?"

"Better than that."

"Why does he look like he got into a fight? My one punch didn't do that."

"No. His father didn't approve of us being together. He told him a few times. Last night, that happened."

"His father beat him like that?"

"He had his two goons do it, but yes. You know, he wanted to come down to Charleston and ask you for my hand. It's what he said when he asked me to marry him. I wanted to get married right away, though. He's been worried that you would hate him."

"Haley…"

"Ned, I'm just saying that your approval means something to him. I've never been happy before like this. I haven't been happy at all recently until he came along. I love him. Now, I know I should have told you sooner about both him and the club. I can't change that. But you have to accept that I married him, that I love him, and you have to be nice to him."

"Haley, have you thought about what you two are going to do? For money, I mean. You keep saying that you did work at the club. It seems like you don't anymore."

"After what Dan did to him last night, we don't. We were actually going to come down to see you and look for work there. I told him that we could count on my big brother."

"You're making me feel guilty, Haley."

"You should. A little bit. He was right. You should trust me. I know I've kept things from you, but I'm still the same person."

"Is he going to enlist?"

Haley shook her head. "He tried. They won't take him because of his knee."

"I assumed that was from the beating last night."

Again, Haley shook her head. "He was a baseball player. He hurt his knee and it didn't heal correctly."

In a small room in the back of the station Nathan sat across the table from the sheriff.

"Why did you and your father argue last night?"

"He told me I was useless, so I told him he was a coward. Then, he had Ian Banks and Chase Adams beat me up. I haven't seen him since."

"You haven't?"

"No."

"Have you ever owned a gun, Mr. Scott?"

Nathan looked at the man before answering. "Yes."

"And where is that gun now?"

"I pawned it this morning," Nathan said.

"This morning? That's convenient."

"Ask Don at the pawn shop. He opened up a little early for me."

"How much did you get for it?"

Nathan held up his left hand, showing off the gold band on his ring finger. "Two of these."

"Why did you get rid of the gun?"

"I didn't need it."

"Who gave it to you?"

"My father. He gave it to me years ago. I never used it."

"Where were you today? You didn't show up to work and no one seems to have seen you today."

"Would you go back to work for a man who beat you up? I was in Kill Devil Hills today."

"That's a long way north. What were you doing out there?"

Even though Nathan was annoyed by the fact that he was being questioning for this, he couldn't help smiling. "I was getting married. You can check with them. There's a little chapel in a cottage on the beach with this minister named Richard and his wife Edith. We got married there this afternoon."

"After that?"

"We stopped at a diner for something to eat and went back to the café. We were there all night until Lucas came to tell me about Dan."

"Dan? You call your father Dan?"

"He hasn't really been much of a father lately. We're not close."

"But you were working for him."

Nathan shrugged. "I needed the money. Look, I don't know who killed him. I didn't do it. I've already told you, I was busy getting married. You can check that out and back up my story. Are we done? I'd really like to go home with my wife."

"We'll be done when I say we're done. So, you married Haley James? The rumor is the Mayor, your father, didn't approve of the relationship. Why is that?"

"He's crazy. Was crazy," Nathan corrected himself. "He seemed to think that I was going to do to her what he did to my Aunt Karen."

"And what was that?"

"You know exactly what he did. This whole town does." From the look on the sheriff's face, Nathan knew he wanted more of an answer than that. "He got Karen pregnant with Lucas, your deputy, and then left her high and dry. He thought I would do the same thing to Haley. The difference is that I'm not him."

"Any idea who may have wanted your father dead?"

Nathan thought. He thought for several moments about how to answer that question. He knew several people who wanted Dan dead. He was on that list himself. "No," he finally answered. He didn't trust the sheriff. He knew full well that Dan had the man in his pocket. Even if Dan was now dead, that didn't mean that the sheriff could be trusted.

Nathan also wanted to know who killed Dan. He wanted to know what exactly happened and he didn't think that sheriff was the way to find that out.

"You can go," the sheriff said. "But stay close in case I have any more questions."

They both stood and Nathan didn't wait for the sheriff before he exited the room. The minute Haley saw him, she stood from the bench. Ned followed suit. He gave Haley a smile and went to her, taking her hand, and putting his hat back on his head.

"Is everything all right?" Haley's voice was laced with concern, but Nathan also noticed that she looked tired. He pulled her closed to him, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and kissing her forehead.

"It's fine. They just wanted to know where I was all day. We'll just tell Lucas that we're headed back to the café and then go. We've had a big day."

"He's coming this way," Ned observed, pointing to Lucas. Lucas looked completely serious and grave. All three noticed immediately.

"Peyton called while I was getting you," he began. "She said we need to head to my mom's house. She was vague, but the deputy who answered the phone said it was about that issue in the basement."

Nathan and Haley looked at each other and then looked back at Lucas. With a few quick nods, the three walked out of the station. Unable to take the patrol car, the four of them walked the short distance to the café for Lucas's car, which Nathan had left there.

* * *

><p>Nothing was said on their short journey and when they got there, it was decided that Ned would follow in his own car. It would have been inconvenient having him there had he simply interrupted their wedding night. It wasn't just that he'd interrupted their wedding night, though. Dan had been murdered and now something was apparently going on at Karen's. There couldn't have possibly been a worse night for Ned to have shown up in Tree Hill.<p>

When they got to Karen's, Lucas jumped up the stairs, two at a time, to reach the porch. He didn't knock; he just walked inside the house with the other three following him. Lucas stopped dead in his tracks when he saw his mother on the sofa with Keith sitting next to her.

"You three have a lot of explaining to do. Especially you, Lucas Eugene Scott," Karen demanded when she noticed the three of them walk in.

"Karen, honey, I've already explained everything to you. I told you everything that they've done for me."

"Keith, what are you doing here?" Lucas took a few steps closer, but still didn't fully enter the living room.

Keith stood up and noticed that behind Nathan and Haley stood Ned James. He took note of the fact that Ned's face had gone pale. He looked like he'd seen a ghost.

"Ned James. This is a surprise," Keith said, approaching Ned and extending his hand. Ned didn't move. He just stared at Keith in shock. "So, you probably have some questions. I'm guessing you came to visit your sister. I'm sure this wasn't what you were expecting."

"There's a lot happening tonight that I didn't expect. Keith, you're… you're…"

"Well, I'm not dead."

"Haley and my parents, they said…"

"I know, Ned."

"You know," Haley said, stepping into the living room. "We're really in the way here. You have so much to talk about. We'll go ahead and leave."

"Actually, I think that there's a lot that we all need to talk about," Karen said.

"I'll be going," Ned told them.

"Wait a moment," Haley turned to Ned. "Where will you go?"

"He can stay at the house," Lucas said. Lucas quickly gave Ned directions to the house he shared with Peyton. Ned protested, not wanting to be any trouble to anyone. He really didn't have anywhere to go and the longer he stayed where he wasn't needed the more he realized that he really drove up here without thinking. "Tell her I said to take Nathan's room," Lucas added, walking Ned to the door.

Even though Haley had been angry with her brother over everything that happened, he was still her brother. As he was leaving, she leaned up and hugged him. She told him that she and Nathan would be by the house in the morning so that they could all talk. She told him that she wanted him to get to know Nathan.

When Ned left, Lucas, Nathan, and Haley finally walked fully into the living room and took seats. Haley and Nathan sat next to each other and couldn't help how tired they looked.

"Nathan," Keith looked at his nephew, "what the hell happened to your face?"

"Dan had Ian and Chase beat him up," Haley answered, grabbing onto Nathan's arm more tightly.

"Nathan, is this true?" Karen looked truly aghast. After what her husband had told her since walking back into their house that night she had come to realize that Dan Scott really was capable of some vile acts. Apparently, beating up his son was one of them.

"I mouthed off to him at the club, those two idiots grabbed me, beat me up, and Dan told me to stop seeing Haley again."

"Dan has told you before to stop seeing Haley?" This was new information for Karen and she was beginning to feel like there was a lot she hadn't been told.

"Karen, Dan had some weird idea that Nathan was going to do to me what Dan did to you. He kept mentioning it to Nathan. He was unstable."

"What do you mean was?" Karen looked to the three young people in front of her and noticed they were all exchanging looks. "What's going on?"

"The reason that Nathan and Haley are with me," Lucas started to say, "is that I went to them so that the sheriff could question Nathan. See, Dan was murdered tonight. Someone shot him in the head."

"What?" Keith immediately stood from the couch and began pacing. "Someone killed him?"

"Keith, now that you're back, when they find out that Dan shot you and killed Deb, they're going to question you."

Keith stopped pacing and looked at Lucas. "I saw him tonight."

"What?"

"I went there before I came here. I wanted to let him know that I was done hiding. That he couldn't hurt me or my family. I told him if he tried that I would kill him."

"Keith, that's going to look bad," Lucas said.

"I didn't kill him, Luke. I went straight from there to here. I've been with your mother the whole time."

Lucas chuckled, but there was no humor in it. "You two have the same alibi," Lucas looked to Nathan. Karen and Keith didn't seem to hear him.

"I take it that Peyton called the station and that's how you ended up here," Karen guessed.

Lucas nodded. "She called and said that there was a problem with what was in the basement."

"She ran right over here when she noticed I wasn't anywhere near the house," Keith said. "She guessed where I'd gone. Brooke's there with her now. They wanted to give us some time."

"You know, I know there's a lot to talk about, but it's been a long night, and a long day for some of us, so maybe we should do this in the morning," Nathan suggested.

"That's a good idea," Keith said. "I'd also like some more time alone with my wife."

"Actually," Haley said, "Karen, there's something I'd like to ask you. When you agreed to let me live above the café that was just for me. The thing is, well," she held onto Nathan's hand and smiled up at him.

"The thing is, I also want some time alone with my wife," Nathan said. "So, Karen, we're wondering if you have a problem with me living there. If you do, that's fine. We'll just go ahead and stay with Luke until we find something else."

"You two got married?"

"Today," Haley answered.

"This is a surprise," Karen said.

"Not if you spent hours with Nathan talking about how much he loves her," Keith told her. "Congratulations."

"Of course you can stay at the café. That's perfectly fine," Karen told them. "Have a good night."

* * *

><p>"How are you?" Haley and Nathan were now in the apartment above the café after Lucas had dropped them off. None of them had felt much like talking. They were all trying to process everything that had happened that night. Getting married was big enough with a visiting brother, back from the dead uncle, and murdered father. Nathan and Haley hadn't had the chance to discuss it, but they were both feeling disappointed, as well. This was supposed to be a night for just the two of them and it had been interrupted.<p>

Haley watched as Nathan sat on the edge of their bed and slipped off his shoes and socks. She went to stand in front of him and placed her hands on his shoulders. Feeling her soft touch, he looked up at her and gave her a smile. "How are you?"

"Still the best day of my life."

"Really?"

"We got married, didn't we?"

"We did."

"So, still the best day of my life. Look, Hales," he scooted so she could sit next to him. Their bed was still unmade and the sheets were in a disarray from their earlier love making. "I wish we'd been left alone tonight. That we could have spent the whole night together just holding each other, maybe making love some more if you wanted to."

In response to that remark, Haley leaned in and brushed her lips against his. She tried to stifle a yawn, but she couldn't help it. She rested her forehead against her husband's and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. It's been a pretty eventful day. Why don't we get ready for bed? We'll try for a good night of sleep. I know I'm going to be sleeping just fine with you right next to me."

"You're very charming, Mr. Scott. Did you know that?"

"I don't know about that, Mrs. Scott."

Haley's smile spread across her face. "Say that again."

"Mrs. Scott?"

"Yeah."

"Mrs. Scott." He pulled her head closer to his and kissed her, getting lost in her, and threading his hands through her hair. He was getting more and more into it when she stopped.

"Nathan, your father died tonight. I know you two didn't get along, but he's still your father."

"I know, Hales. I know that. I don't know how I feel. I know I'm going to have to think about it. I know that. But, right now, I just want to sleep next to my wife."

"Okay. We can do that." They got ready for bed in silence, Nathan putting on his pajama pants and Haley putting on a beautiful satin nightgown. Brooke had purchased it for her months ago, thinking that Haley needed something other than her pajamas. Haley felt that this was the perfect night for it.

While Haley was in the bathroom washing her face and brushing her teeth, Nathan went around the apartment cleaning up. Their clothes had landed in various spots on the floor and though Nathan had picked up his trousers and shirt so they could go to the station, there were still things on the floor. He knew that his wife liked to keep things tidy. He had never seen anything out of place in her home. He wasn't a tidy person, but he would make an effort for Haley. He found a hanger and picked up the dress she had worn for their wedding. He was sure that Haley would want to keep it.

"You picked up," she said, noticing that there were no longer any clothes on the floor. "I love you."

"I love you too, Hales. You really have made me the happiest man on the planet."

They cuddled into bed together, Nathan wrapping his arm around Haley's waist as her back pressed against his chest. He kissed the top of her head and whispered one more 'I love you' before they drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> So, Dan's dead. I'll try to update quickly. Thank you for your patience, for reading, and for reviewing. :)


	25. It Was in the Vows

**Disclaimer: **One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Notes: **Well, it turned out longer than I planned on. I hope you like it. Thanks!

* * *

><p>Haley began to stir and was instantly aware of the solid body next to her. She smiled, realizing that Nathan, her husband, was lying next to her with his arm around her waist. She stretched and turned ever so slightly, not wanting to wake him up. It was nice knowing that she didn't have to get up right away. As they were leaving the night before, Karen had told her that she would be leaving the café closed that day. Haley had understood completely. Karen wanted to spend time with her husband. Though their situations weren't the same, Haley did know what it was like to want to spend time with her husband.<p>

Thinking about that, she put her hand to his cheek. His lips were parted slightly and his breathing was soft and evened out. She wondered how late he slept in on mornings he didn't come to the café to help her set things up. Ever since their relationship began, he had been coming by more and more often. She had a feeling that under normal circumstances, he slept in.

Haley couldn't believe that just twenty-four hours earlier they weren't even engaged. Now, the hand that was gently resting on his cheek was adorned with a gold band. Moving her eyes from Nathan's sleeping face, she let herself travel down to his shoulders. Last night, she realized just how much she loved his shoulders. They were broad and held her so securely. They were so strong and capable. His arms were the same. Sometimes, she would remember that day at Peyton's, not long after they had returned to Tree Hill. She could still see Nathan, shy and nervous, walking in the house covered in sweat and dirt from working outside. Unconsciously, she licked her lips.

She moved her hand to lightly rest above his heart. She thought she felt him shiver under her touch. He had slept shirtless that night. She was surprised that he hadn't gotten cold. The apartment above the café tended to get a little drafty. Of course, she had only slept in a sleeveless nightgown, but had stayed warm thanks to his body pressed against hers all night.

Her hand moved even lower and her touch was even gentler as she reached the bruises from where he'd been beaten. The color of them was changing, but they still looked nasty and like they hurt a lot. She was amazed that they hadn't broken any ribs. She knew she shouldn't feel angry at Dan anymore. The man was dead. But, she was looking at her husband and his body was still bruised all because his father couldn't get over his past mistakes and decided to use his son to achieve some sort of atonement.

Haley wondered how deeply Dan regretted what he did to Karen. He must have been living with that regret for nineteen years. She wondered if it got worse after he shot Keith. Believing that he had killed his brother, Dan had taken him from her. First, he had left her with a baby and then took her husband from her. Even though Keith wasn't dead, which Dan didn't know, he had still left Karen to raise another child alone. Haley remembered Dan walking into the café after Keith had been shot. He had seemed so genuine in his offer to help her.

"Are you trying to wake me up? Because I don't mind," Nathan said, his voice still groggy with sleep. He pulled her closer, both of them on their sides. "How long have you been awake?"

"Not long," she answered. "I was just watching you. You looked so peaceful."

"I was. I am."

"You slept fine here?"

He nodded and moved so that he was on his back, pulling her so that she was slightly on top of him. "I told you I would. I had you with me."

"So, you're going to be that charming first thing in the morning? That's not fair."

"Why not?"

"Because, I'm not my best first thing in the morning."

"Liar," Nathan smirked. He lifted his head from the pillow and brought his lips to hers, his hand at the back of her head so that he could keep her lips to his. Haley moved so that she was straddling him. She felt his tongue and opened her mouth wider. With his tongue in her mouth, she sucked on it, causing him to groan. She felt the bulge in his pajama pants and didn't resist the urge to grind herself into him.

Not feeling the need to ask her if she was all right with him touching her, Nathan began pulling up her nightgown while Haley balanced herself above him with both arms, her lips not leaving his. When he had her nightgown up past her hips, he placed one hand on her ass, feeling the smooth skin beneath his fingertips. Without warning, he flipped them over so that he was on top and smirked at her. She couldn't help but smile and she grabbed onto the back of his head, scratching his scalp and bringing him closer so that she could kiss him again.

Haley spread her legs, knowing exactly what she wanted from him. He didn't hesitate to run his fingers along her already slick folds and felt her shudder beneath him.

"I want you," he said, rubbing his throbbing erection, still covered by his pajama pants, against her wet core, letting her feel how much he wanted her.

"I want you too," she breathed, letting out a moan when he grabbed her breast and began pinching at the nipple. She tried her best to lower his pants, raising her knees and trying to use her toes. He looked at her and smirked, then decided to help her. It would get them both what they wanted. He didn't even bother taking his pants off past his ankles before thrusting into her suddenly and without warning. He was rewarded for his action by hearing Haley call out his name.

Having him nestled inside of her was still such a new feeling. She hadn't expected him to just thrust into her, but she couldn't deny that she had liked it. The feel of him was still so new. She took a few breaths, getting used to him stretching her and filling her. Unlike the night before, the feelings of pleasure came almost immediately.

He stayed still once he was seated deeply within the warmth of her body. This was only their second time together and though he hadn't gone easy when entering her, he still didn't want her to feel uncomfortable. When she reached down and placed her hand on his ass he took it as a sign to get moving.

His pace was slow, at first. He took several slow and deliberate strokes, making sure that the base of his cock hit her throbbing clit each time. With one hand, he took her right knee and bent it, allowing him to go deeper. He managed to bend it so it was nearly touching her shoulder, but he didn't want her to feel any discomfort. He was sure she didn't by the look on her face. She wrapped the other leg around his waist and he thrust again. He pulled out almost completely, slowly, then crashed his hips into hers.

"You feel so good," he told her. "You're so beautiful." Her lips were pink and swollen, her cheeks were flushed, her mouth was slightly open and in the shape of an O, and her dark hair was fanned out against the pillow. Her response to him was to squeeze the cheek that she was still holding onto, urging him to move forward.

"Harder," she commanded.

He did just as she asked and placed a hand on the pillow beside them before pounding his hips into hers with all the force he could muster. He felt her squeeze her muscles around his member in appreciation, which only spurred him on. His pace became more and more frenzied and he realized that she was now meeting him thrust for thrust. Both were covered in a thin sheen of sweat and neither was worried about the cold of the December morning. They were too lost in their own world and too caught up in each other. Wrapped in each other's body, making love, feeling every ounce of their love for each other, nothing else mattered.

Nathan changed his angle, once again colliding his pelvic bone with the tiny bundle of nerves between her thighs. She cried out and sank her nails into his backside, arching her back into him, the satin of her nightgown brushing against his bare chest.

"Are you close?"

Haley tried to sort out her mind enough to answer him before finally saying, "Faster."

He complied and several powerful thrusts later, Haley felt something inside of her snap. She cried out her husband's name and collapsed on the bed, her heart hammering in her chest as Nathan continued to move inside of her until, several seconds later, he came, calling out her name.

He took a moment to catch his breath and closed his eyes when he felt Haley's hands in his hair. Her hands didn't move even though he began to move. Pulling out of her, he moved his body lower and lower, disappearing beneath the blankets. Haley watched him with curiosity, not sure of what he was doing. She soon found out when she felt his soft breath at her core. She bit her lip, not sure of what he was doing but unable to deny the excitement she was feeling.

Nathan didn't ask her for her permission. He wanted to do this. He wanted to taste her and he knew that she trusted him enough to let him. If she didn't like it, he wouldn't do it again. He hoped that she would like it, though. Her hands were still on his head, but he noticed that her grip had loosened. He couldn't seen her face, but he was sure that her lip was between her teeth.

Haley's eyes went wide with shock when she felt his tongue at her slit. He was holding onto her hips, keeping her still. His tongue was inside of her and her eyes were forced closed when she felt him begin to thrust in and out of her using his tongue.

Nathan smiled against her sex when he felt her grip tighten on his head. He took that as a good sign and continued his ministrations. He could hear her moaning and he knew she was surrendering to her desire when her hips begin thrusting against his mouth. He gave her swollen, sensitive flesh a light nip with his teeth, then ran his tongue against her most sensitive spot.

She came quicker than he thought she would given the force of her first orgasm, but he was pleased that she did. He emerged from underneath the blankets to find her staring at him through heavy lidded eyes. She looked like she'd been thoroughly loved and he couldn't help feeling proud of that. He had done that and put her in that state.

He didn't ask how she was when he moved next to her and kissed her deeply. He didn't ask, even though he knew that was new for her and knew that she could taste herself on his lips. She wanted him to have confidence. He had the confidence to know that she trusted him and if she didn't like something, she would tell him. He guessed that she was fine when she returned his kiss with equal fervor.

"I wasn't expecting that when we woke up," she admitted. He smirked and she began laughing, unable to contain the joy that she was feeling.

"As long as nobody walks in and interrupts us," he joked.

"Well, I locked the door last night, so that wasn't going to happen. That'll never happen again."

"Good. I don't want anyone else interrupting my time with my wife."

"I'm really happy with you, Nathan. I love you."

Instead of smirking, Nathan smiled. She wasn't just happy; she was happy with him. She wanted to be with him and had chosen to spend the rest of her life with him. He couldn't get over the fact that someone like her had chosen him. "I love you too." He pulled her into his embrace, nuzzling her neck, neither of them having bothered to cover their lower halves with anything but the quilts on the bed.

"You know, in a perfect world, we could stay here all day. Talk, not talk. Make love and hold each other," she said.

"But we have to go talk to everyone," he admitted. "I wonder if they're waiting for us."

"You know, I don't really mind if they are. With everything that's going on… Well, we've still only been married for a matter of hours. This is still new for us and we deserve to be together without worrying about anything else, at least for a little while."

"I like the way you think, Mrs. Scott."

"Also, the sooner we go and talk to everyone, the sooner we can come back here." She leaned in and kissed him slowly. Remembering the night before, she pulled away and looked toward the door. "I can't believe my brother walked in on us." She covered her face with her hands.

Nathan cringed at the reminder. That was definitely not how he wanted to meet any of Haley's family. He didn't want anyone seeing them like that ever.

"How's your face?" Haley noted that, once again, the cut on his cheek was closed.

"I really am fine, Haley. But we should probably get ready." With a final kiss, they did finally get out of bed. They got ready in a companionable silence. Haley was in the bathroom when Nathan heard the phone downstairs ring. Not knowing when Haley would be out, he went downstairs and answered it. He thought it was odd seeing the café so empty at this time of morning. Ordinarily, it was bustling with customers. Haley and Karen would be working side by side and he would be watching Haley. Occasionally, he would help carry plates from empty tables. Now, there was no one there. The chairs were upside down, the smell of coffee was nowhere, and there was nothing happening in the kitchen. A few people walked by, peering in the window and wondering what was going on.

"Karen's Café. How can I help you?" Nathan had heard Haley say that exact same thing whenever she answered the phone.

"Nathan?"

"Yes." The voice on the other end was familiar.

"Nathan, it's Vivian."

Nathan got worried as to why Vivian was calling. He worried about Charlie. "Is it Charlie? Is everything all right?"

"No, no. Nathan, we're all fine. No, I'm calling about you and Haley. Is she there?"

"She's just upstairs getting ready. I'll go see if she's ready."

Nathan set the phone on the counter and walked upstairs, where he found Haley putting the final touches on her hair.

"Your sister is on the phone," Nathan told her. "Vivian," he clarified.

"Did she say if something happened with Charlie?"

Nathan shook his head. "She said it was about us."

"Oh, for crying out loud. I just hope that Dan didn't send someone to visit her too. At least she knows I'm not hiding anything from her. That's probably why she called instead of barging in here like Ned did."

"I'm sorry, Hales. I'm sorry my dad was such a lousy ass."

"Hey. Don't worry about it, Nathan. You're not him. Don't apologize for him being him. Especially now that he's dead. There's nothing he can do to hurt us." When he nodded, she smiled at him. "Let's just get our things so we can head out after we speak to Vivian."

Haley picked up the phone and sat down on the stool next to it. Nathan stood beside her, getting his jacket and scarf on.

"Vivian? What's going on?"

"Haley, how are things there?"

"Busy. What's going on, Viv?"

"Listen, I spoke with Ned yesterday. I tried calling you, but Karen said that you took the day off. Ned said that someone came to him with pictures of you and Nathan. I tried to stop him, but he said that he was coming up to see you and get this sorted out."

"Oh," Haley said. She looked to Nathan, "Ned called her to tell her he was coming up here. Vivian, he was already here. He is here. He stayed at Peyton and Lucas's last night."

"Oh. So, he found you? What's going on, Haley Bob?"

Haley looked at Nathan and smiled. She reached for his hand and laced her fingers with his. "We have some news, Vivian. Nathan and I, we eloped yesterday. We got married."

Haley was met with silence on the other end of the phone and on instinct, she bit her lip and her hold on Nathan tightened.

"Viv?"

"You got married? Does Ned know?"

"Yes, we got married. Ned does know. He wasn't happy about it. We're actually going to talk to him now."

"You're okay? You're happy?"

"I'm so happy, Vivian. We both are. There's a lot to talk about, but things are busy here Vivian. Not just with Ned and our getting married."

"Okay. Call when you have a moment. Or, better yet, come visit. My house is about to get a little emptier."

Haley noticed the sadness in her sister's voice, but didn't comment on it. They needed more time for that conversation and they just didn't have that right now.

"Haley, before you go, can I talk to your husband?"

Haley handed the phone to Nathan and he took a few steps closer to the mouthpiece. "Hello?"

"Nathan Scott. So, you married my baby sister. Listen, you two need to tell the rest of our family as soon as possible. Don't hide this, or anything else, from them. I'll help you two smooth things over with Seth, Eli, and Ned. They will come around. Just treat her as well as I know you can. I know you love her, Nathan."

"I do. I will, Vivian. I promise."

After a few short words, Haley and Vivian said goodbye and Nathan and Haley exited the café. Haley wrapped her coat around her, trying to keep the cold away. She put her gloves on and then linked her arm with Nathan's leaning into him before they began walking. Smiling at each other, they weren't looking at where they were going and nearly collided with Mrs. Hannon and Mrs. Crowley.

"Haley, Nathan. The café isn't open this morning," Mrs. Hannon observed. She stepped closer to Haley and looked from the left and to the right to see who else was around. "Haley, I've already spoken to Karen about this, but having Nathan come out of the café at such an early hour could be taken the wrong way."

"There's no need to worry about that, ma'am. Haley and I are married and all of Tree Hill does not need to concern itself with our private life. Have a lovely day, ladies." Nathan tipped his hat and led Haley away from their prying eyes and gaping mouths.

Haley giggled when they were down the street and well on their way to Peyton and Lucas's. "I like the way you handled them."

"They're a couple of busybodies. They always have been."

"You're right. They used to talk about Taylor all the time. I know she wasn't always on her best behavior, but she still didn't deserve them talking about her behind her back. They don't mean anything by it. They're just bored. It still isn't nice."

"It's my job to protect you, you know. It was in the vows."

"Was it?"

"Well, I'm going to protect you. If it had been from Dan or just some nosey women in town. No one gets to treat my wife badly."

"You keep talking like that and we're going to have to turn around and go back to the café so I can have my way with you."

"Why don't we do that now? They won't miss us."

"Down, boy. We have a lot to talk about with everyone."

As they turned a corner onto Peyton's street, Nathan said, "I was thinking on our way back to the café last night. We don't actually have to leave Tree Hill now, not if we don't want to. Dan isn't around to hurt us. It doesn't matter anymore that I told him what I knew. Chase and Ian, they didn't even hear me. Even if they did, they wouldn't care. They've done so many illegal things that they wouldn't go near me. I'm sure of it. So, if you wanted to stay in Tree Hill so we can keep saving so you can go to school, we could do that."

"I hadn't thought of that," she said. "I think it would be best if we stayed for a while longer. With everything going on, I'm sure there are going to be questions about Dan killing your mother. It really might be best if we don't leave right now."

"We'll probably have a better idea of what's going on after we talk to everyone," Nathan said as they reached the house. They saw Ned's car parked in front and both could smell the smoke coming from the chimney, welcoming them in. They'd spent the entire walk there arm in arm and that still didn't changed as they knocked on the door, waiting to be let in.

When they were let in, they immediately felt the warmth coming from the fire and could smell food coming from the kitchen. Lucas took their coats and hung them on the coat rack.

"Who's cooking?" Haley knew that Peyton wasn't a great cook. It smelled like breakfast at the café.

"My mom," Lucas answered. "She felt that she and Keith should be here for all of this. I guess she has a point."

"Well, the fact that her husband was alive was only kept from her for nearly three years," Haley said, dryly.

"She's not wrong," Nathan backed up his wife.

"You two seem awfully cheerful this morning."

"Why not? I have nothing to complain about, Luke. My life right now couldn't get any better," Nathan said with satisfaction.

Haley hugged him closely, earning an eye roll from Lucas, though he did it in a playful way.

"The entire town is in an uproar over Dan's murder, Keith is back from the dead, and you two… well. By the way, I didn't tell Peyton or Brooke. Brooke was asleep when we got back. I figured you two could share the news yourselves."

"Okay. Is my brother awake?"

Lucas nodded. "I don't think he slept much."

Haley frowned and looked to the living room. She saw Ned sitting in there with Peyton and Keith.

"Brooke is just coming down," Lucas explained. "I think she's worried about being in the way."

With a nod, Haley led Nathan into the living room. She cleared her throat and Ned immediately stood. "We should talk," Haley said.

"I'll give you three some time," Peyton excused herself. She wasn't sure what exactly was going on. Lucas had just told her that Ned had come to see Haley just as he had gone to tell Nathan and Haley about Dan. She knew that there was a lot going on and Lucas had offered to explain everything right then and there. When he came home to tell her that Dan had been murdered, he had looked so exhausted. She was tempted to let him explain, but he had been under so much stress lately that she suggested they go to sleep instead.

Peyton had noticed that Nathan and Haley, though always close, seemed even closer. She also knew that Nathan hadn't stayed there that night. She hoped everything else would be answered. She also felt relieved that Keith was now out in the open. The past couple of days, she had been the one to spend the most time with him. She felt a little guilty for not watching carefully enough when he left. She also knew that it was for the best. Now, no one was hiding anything. For now, everything would be better. Things would be better until her husband shipped off to basic training and then off to war.

Ned took a seat in the chair in the corner of the living room. Nathan and Haley sat side by side on the sofa opposite him. They barely noticed that Peyton had shut the doors to the living room, giving them further privacy. The fire crackled on the other side of the room, giving it a comforting feeling.

Abruptly, Nathan stood up. "I'd like to apologize for how you found us last night. I know that isn't what any of us wanted. I also would have liked to come to talk to you in person before we got married so I could tell you that, well, that I only want the best for Haley and that I love her. We did this how we thought it was best, though, with everything going on.

"See, my dad did this to me," he pointed to his face. "He did this and then I got angry and lost my temper. I told him that I knew he killed my mom and shot Keith. We got worried about what he would do to me knowing that."

"Nathan tried to leave me so I wouldn't get hurt," Haley interjected.

"She wouldn't let me do that. She made me promise to never try to leave her for her own good ever again. So, we got married. I've known for a while that I wanted to marry your sister. She's my whole world. I just want to make her as happy as she makes me. We got married and we thought maybe you could help us out while I looked for a job so I could support us. That was our plan.

"Like I said, I am sorry for how you found us. I love your sister. I'd do anything for her. I'm gonna be a good husband to her." Nathan said all of this still standing. He felt like it would let Ned know how serious he was.

"Your father killed your mother?" That was the one thing that Ned had latched onto. From his conversation the night before with Haley at the station, he begrudgingly couldn't doubt that his sister was happy and head over heels in love. Listening to every word out of Nathan's mouth, he could tell that the feeling was mutual.

Nathan nodded and took the opportunity to sit. Haley linked her arm with his.

"Nathan saw it happen," Haley told him somberly.

"You didn't tell anyone."

"I told Lucas. I was in shock. I was a seventeen year-old punk. But, Luke was right. He knew that Dan had this entire town in his pocket. That includes the sheriff. No one would have believed me when I said he killed her. We got outta Tree Hill and decided to work on a plan to take down Dan."

"And you knew about this?" Ned turned his attention to Haley.

"When Nathan came back to town, he tried to keep me away. Then, we became friends and then more. Eventually, I discovered that Keith was alive. We haven't kept any secrets since then. We're completely honest with each other."

"Honesty, Haley Bob?"

"Ned, I'm sorry. I don't know how to explain this to you any better. I needed the money and I wanted to do it as much on my own as I could. I would have preferred somewhere other than the club. No one else was hiring. I really did try. Believe it or not, Dan actually looked after me while I worked there."

"My dad had this weird thing where he really saw Haley as Karen. He thought if he was good to her, it would help make up for the fact that he left her all those years ago."

"This is all unbelievable. I come here to find you married, the mayor dead, and Keith back from the dead. This is just… this is like some melodrama with Joan Crawford or something. It's a lot to wrap my head around."

"Do you trust me?" Haley was almost afraid to ask the question. She knew she had lied to her family. She had kept things from them. She didn't want them to distrust her, though.

"Mom and dad dying, that was a shock to all of us. I think you more than anyone else. You were the one who was here with them for all of it. We've been worried about you. We've all talked about it. When I talked to Vivian last night, she said that you were the happiest you'd been in a long time. She said when she met Nathan, even when the two of you were friends, that you were even happy then. Just don't lie to me anymore, Haley. Tell me the truth about what's going on with you."

"I will."

"You hurt her, my brothers and I will end you," Ned said, rising to his feet. For the first time, he extended his hand to Nathan, offering a firm handshake which Nathan met.

"I won't hurt her. I promise."

Ned nodded his head. "Listen, I'm going to go ahead and leave. I know Karen is cooking and she offered some to me, but I am in the way here. With your father dead and Keith not dead, you all have a lot to discuss."

"Are you sure, Ned? We could all have dinner tonight," Haley offered.

"As nice as that sounds, I do need to be going back to Charleston. I didn't tell Kate much when I headed out."

Haley smiled, but went to open the living room doors, letting Ned out. She and Nathan walked him to the front door.

"You two should come down to Charleston if you have the chance. Please tell everyone I said goodbye. Tell Lucas good luck over there."

Haley hugged her brother and Ned and Nathan shook hands. Nathan and Haley waited on the porch waving as Ned drove off. By the time they got back into the house, they were both shivering.

They closed the front door behind them just in time to see Brooke coming down the stairs. Brooke paused when she saw the two of them. Nathan's hands were rubbing up and down Haley's arms, trying to warm her up.

"You two…," Brooke looked at them curiously. Then, a moment of recognition and she shrieked, causing everyone else to come into the entryway of the house to see what was going on. Brooke bounced down the stairs and stood in front of the two of them. She waved her hands in front of her face and looked at the two of them.

"What is going on?" Peyton looked around trying to figure out what had Brooke so excited.

"They did it! They did it," she shrieked. "She's Mrs. Scott! We have to throw you a party! You deserve one! I'm so excited for you two! Nathan, why do you look like you got into a fight? Oh, what does it matter? You two are married!" Brooke pulled Haley forward and hugged her with a fierceness Haley hadn't expected. Haley returned the hug. Thus far, Brooke had had the best reaction to their marriage. It was exactly what Haley had hoped for, but with everything else going on, no one had really been sure of what to make of their elopement. Brooke understood just how much they loved each other and how right this was.

When Brooke finally let go of Haley, she turned to Nathan. Without warning, she hugged him. Surprising even himself, because he hadn't been much for affection until Haley, he returned her hug. Brooke felt hopeful hearing about Nathan and Haley's marriage. She and Nathan had run in such a similar crowd and behaved so alike in their younger years that knowing that he could turn things around and find someone like Haley to make a life with gave her hope. It made her want to see Julian.

"You know, with Keith here and not dead and everything and having just walked into the house when Karen and I were talking last night, scaring us half to death, by the way, and you two married, I think I'm going to go see Julian. You all have a lot to talk about. I really do want to plan that party or something for you two. I really am happy for you. I can't wait for you to get pregnant!"

Before Nathan and Haley could protest or get a single syllable out, Brooke had grabbed her coat and was out the door.

"Congratulations, you two," Peyton said, hugging them both. In Brooke's excitement, she hadn't gotten the chance to say it. She sometimes still couldn't believe that the man in front of her was the same one that she had dated. He had been awful back then. Now, he was a good man. Even more than that, he was good for Haley. They were good together and she couldn't deny that, despite everything going on, they looked so happy.

"Why don't we go in for breakfast? There's a lot of food," Karen told them all, leading them into Peyton's seldom used dining room.

"Where is Ned?" Lucas took a seat at the head of the table, feeling a little weird doing so since that was normally Larry Sawyer's seat.

"He knew that we all have a lot to discuss and didn't want to get in the way. He's driving home to Charleston," Haley answered.

"Did you get everything sorted out? Ned got quite a shock when he came to see his sister last night," Lucas explained.

"Why did Ned drive up here?" Keith handed Karen the plate of eggs and she grabbed some for herself.

"Dan," Nathan answered, his teeth clenched. "He had one of his guys drive down there and show Ned some pictures of me and Haley at the front door of the café. He was concerned for Haley."

"I'm going to have to write my other brothers and sisters as soon as possible. Hopefully Dan didn't get to them too," Haley said.

"I'm sorry for running out on you yesterday, Peyton," Keith apologized. "I just couldn't take it anymore. I wanted to be back with my family."

"Where is Lily?" Haley had noticed that the child wasn't there. "Is she having her play date?"

"Yes," Karen responded. "This is a lot for her and we decided we wanted things to be as normal as possible for her. She's confused, but she is happy to have her daddy back."

Nathan set his fork down on his plate and wiped his mouth. "Karen, I'm so sorry. If I had known that Keith was alive I woulda never left him there. I am so sorry for that."

"Nathan, I don't blame you at all. I thought that it was bad when you found them. The way you were that night… Now I understand that it's because you saw it happen. I don't hold you responsible for anything. You're a good man, Nathan.

"I don't understand why Dan felt the way he did about you and Haley. If what you say is right and that he was trying to make up for what happened with us, I'm sorry. You're not him. Believe me, we all know that. I'm sorry that your father couldn't see that you weren't that man and that he made things so difficult for you two. I am very happy that the two of you have managed to persevere despite Dan.

"That doesn't mean that I'm not upset with you four. You're still kids. You definitely were when you started this. This was so dangerous. Trying to take down Dan on your own? Hiding Keith from him?"

"We were just trying to keep Keith alive, mom. We just wanted to make sure that he didn't have to worry. Most of this was my idea, by the way. Nathan was the only other person who was supposed to know. Then, Peyton decided to come with us to Duke. Haley found out by accident."

"By accident?"

"I found out during the hurricane," Haley clarified. "I was worried about Nathan and had no way of knowing that he was staying with Keith. I went down to the basement and there Keith was."

"She demanded to help us after that," Nathan beamed, filled with pride. "She said we needed help to get Keith back to you and Lily."

"That's when they found that ledger I told you about," Keith told his wife. "That was all Haley's idea."

Haley suddenly remembered something. She hadn't had the chance to think about it ever since Nathan came into her apartment covered in bruises and blood. "We stole the ledger."

"What?" Lucas's mouth was filled with food.

"You stole the ledger," Peyton repeated.

Haley nodded her head. "We could see how frustrated Keith was getting. Lucas, with you leaving God knows when, we didn't know how much longer this would take and we didn't want Keith waiting any longer. We created a distraction at the club while I was talking to Dan in his office. When he left me in there, I took the ledger. It's in the apartment now."

"Do you two realize how dangerous that was? Listen," Karen ordered, "I'm happy to have my husband back. I'm more than happy. But you two took a huge risk. Haley, what if Dan had found you?"

"I don't know, Karen. But we were willing to take that chance."

"We didn't have to worry about that. Any threat from Dan was going to happen because of me. When he was having me beaten up I got so angry that I told him that I knew what he did to Keith and my mom. I told him that I saw it happen."

"Nathan, I told you that you couldn't let him get to you like that!"

"I know that, Lucas. We were going to leave town for a little while. We were going to take Keith with us and go down to Charleston until it was safe."

"You four really let this get out of hand," Karen marveled. "It's a good thing that this is over, because I don't know what else could have possibly happened to you all. You're lucky that none of you died! I would tell you to do it differently next time, but there had better not be a next time."

"Well, it's not like Dan can kill me again," Keith tried to joke. Judging by his wife's glare, the attempt at humor was not appreciated.

"Speaking of," Haley looked to Lucas, "do they have any idea who killed him?"

"I haven't spoken to anyone at the station since I left with you all last night. I'm not due in for a few more hours. Although, I'm sure they can use every hand they can get, I don't know if I'd be allowed in the investigation since we're related."

Haley noticed that Nathan seemed to tense at the mention of this. He had gotten quiet and was silently eating his breakfast.

"I want to say that I can't believe someone killed him, but we all know that he wasn't well liked by everyone," Peyton said. "People who actually knew him didn't like him."

"Keith, you are going to have to come into the station. It might be best if you and I do it together," Lucas said.

"I should be there," Nathan added. "I've known about this all along."

"Me too," Peyton chimed in.

"Well, we'd all better go," Karen decided. "We'll go after we eat and get this over with. You all have so much explaining to do to the sheriff. I'm sure this will make Keith a suspect, especially since he visited Dan last night."

"No one in this room killed him," Keith said. "I wonder who did."

* * *

><p>Their interview at the sheriff's station took longer than Nathan's questioning the night before. The station was just as busy as it had been then and now this was being added onto their plate. Karen waited patiently while everyone else was questioned before her. Keith, Lucas, and Nathan were questioned at length by the sheriff and all three kept quiet on knowing that Dan had the sheriff in his pocket. They didn't want to anger the man, although they knew he understood exactly what they were saying when they claimed to be too afraid to come to the police.<p>

Now that Dan was dead, the sheriff almost seemed at a loss. He no longer had to answer to Dan and no more payoffs would be coming his way. He actually had to do his job and find a murderer, which was something he hadn't had to do years prior.

Talking to Nathan, he felt that this was just a kid who had been scared when he saw his father murder this mother and shoot his uncle. He now understood why the Nathan Scott who returned to Tree Hill wasn't the cocky little punk who had left. He had known that Dan Scott was a dishonest, ruthless man, but the sheriff was now beginning to understand just how bad the mayor had been. He was starting to feel sick knowing that he had stood aside while that man ran this town with an iron fist.

Speaking with Keith Scott wasn't what he had ever expected to do. Nonetheless, he listened as the man detailed the story of how Deb Scott finally wanted to leave her abusive husband and how the mayor had then murdered her. There was no reason for the sheriff not to believe Keith, Lucas, or Nathan. He got similar stories from Peyton and Haley and then found out that Karen Scott had been aware of her husband's being alive for less than twenty-four hours.

The sheriff also had no reason to believe that any of the six people who walked into his station that morning with their extraordinary tale had killed Dan Scott even though they all had various reasons for wanting him dead, some stronger than others. After an exhaustive time of questioning all six, he had to let them go with a warning to stay in town in case anything came up.

As they were all leaving, he stopped Lucas. He wanted to know if he knew of anyone else who might want his father dead. Lucas could think of only one person he had ever heard threaten Dan, but he didn't want to let the sheriff know that. He had known Mouth since they were children and he would love to believe that Mouth wasn't capable of something like that. The truth was, though, Mouth had become more and more bitter in the past few months. Lucas could understand why Mouth would want to go after Dan and uncover the truth, but he had gone about it the wrong way. Lucas now understood that he hadn't gone about it the right way either. He had accomplished nothing. The difference was that he did everything in secret with only a few people knowing. Mouth did everything out in the open, giving little thought to what Dan might do to him.

Just as Lucas had suspected, the sheriff also told him that he could not be part of this investigation. Since the entire station was working on finding Dan's killer, that meant that Lucas could go home. As Lucas and everyone else exited the station, Lucas was hit by the realization that he didn't care who killed Dan. Whoever had done it had done them all a favor. Now they were safe from him, Keith was back with his family, Nathan and Haley were married and happy, and everything was right with the world. As far as Lucas was concerned, the day couldn't be going any better. Now, he would be getting some time off before he shipped off. He planned to use that time to his advantage and spend it with his wife and the rest of his family. He didn't notice that his brother looked far from relieved or happy about the situation.

Haley did notice Nathan's mood, but she knew that they didn't have time to talk about it now. They were surrounded by people. As soon as they were alone, and Haley hoped that would be soon, they could talk.

"We could all have dinner tonight," Lucas suggested.

"I think that I would like to have some time with my wife and daughter, actually. No offense, Luke. It's been a while."

"I understand, Keith." He looked to his brother and Haley.

"They're newlyweds," Peyton said. "We're on our own tonight, honey."

"Thanks for understanding," Nathan said, putting his arm around Haley's waist.

"Nathan, Haley, I want you to know that you two are welcome to live at the café for as long as you need. If you need help with anything, please let us know," Karen told them. Letting go of Keith's hand, she went and hugged Haley before turning to Nathan to hug him. "You're going to be a wonderful husband for her," Karen whispered. Her words instantly made Nathan feel better, despite what he'd been thinking about.

* * *

><p>When they got to the café, Haley stopped. "Walk with me," she said. He would have gone with her anywhere and let her lead them to a gazebo in the middle of town. It was empty, which wasn't a surprise given the cold December temperatures. Haley could see both her and Nathan's breath as they took a seat on the wooden bench. He wrapped his arms around her and she snuggled in closer.<p>

"You know," he leaned so that his lips were just at her ear, "I would much rather take you home and get into bed."

"I would love that. But we need to talk, Nathan."

"So, you chose a cold gazebo in the middle of town?"

Haley leaned up and kissed him softly. "Warmer?"

"I am."

"See, if we go back home, I know you'll get distracted like we did this morning. We need to talk, Nathan. What's going on in that handsome head of yours?"

"I knew you could tell," he muttered. "I wasn't trying to hide anything from you. I just couldn't say anything in front of the others."

"I figured as much. What's going on, Nathan?"

"I finally figured out how I'm feeling. I'm angry, Hales. I'm angry at whoever did this. It's not about the fact that Dan's dead. It's that this was supposed to be my… not really revenge."

"You were supposed to avenge your mother's death," she said, understanding where he was coming from.

"I guess. Yeah. He was supposed to pay for what he did, Haley. He won't. He knew that I knew, but that wasn't enough. Everyone was supposed to know that he was a murderer. That's what going to Duke and working with Luke was all about. We stole the ledger and for what? He's never going to pay for his crimes. Someone took that from me and I want to know who. Luke doesn't seem to even care."

"The two of you have different motives, I think. He has Keith back with Karen. It's what he wanted all along."

"My mom won't ever come back," he stated.

"I'm sorry, Nathan. I'm so sorry."

"I know that she and I weren't close. She wasn't the greatest mother and I wasn't the greatest son. I wanted to do this for her, though."

"It'll all come out, Nathan. What you saw happen, everyone will know."

"Tommy wasn't his son," Nathan admitted.

"I've wondered. Cooper comes into the club and he stares at Rachel. I notice that on nights when she comes in, he can barely take his eyes off of her. So, Tommy is his?"

"I started thinking it a bit ago, but then when I went to the house yesterday morning to get my gun to sell, I saw the two of them talking. Dan hit Rachel, Hales. He hit her and I heard Cooper tell her that he'd do anything to protect her and Tommy. He said he would kill Dan."

"Do you think he did it?"

"I don't know, Hales. I don't know. For as long as I can remember, he's hated Dan and Dan's hated him. It's why I was always surprised that he came into the club so often."

"I saw the two of them once. It was a couple of years ago. Tommy wasn't even born yet and she wasn't married to Dan. Cooper came in for some pie and coffee and as he left, I saw him meet her across the street. I never saw them together again, but I did notice him looking at her at the club. Nathan, I'm also sure that once I saw her look at him. It was before you came to work there. I hadn't thought of it until now." She bit down on her lip. "Do you think maybe we should go by the house to see how Rachel is doing? It might be nice. I mean, I honestly don't think she has any friends. She ended up married to Dan and now she has this baby."

"She has Cooper, though."

"She does. But if Cooper had something to do with this, if he's smart he'll keep his distance from her for a while."

"Maybe you're right. We could pay a visit and ask her how she is. We didn't see her at the station at all when we were there. Besides, I think it would be nice to see Ida. I want to tell her I have a beautiful wife."

"Are you going to show me off?"

"Might be." He kissed her softly, aware that they were in public. "You know, Hales. Before you, I would have gone through all of this alone. Now, I have you and I know I always have someone to talk to when I need it. I can always count on you. I feel better than I did before just because I talked to you."

"You'll always have me, Nathan. Always and forever." She snuggled closer to him, both because she wanted to be closer and also because it was cold out there. "What are you going to do if Cooper did do it?"

"I don't know. I mean, if he did it, I guess he was trying to protect his family, right? I don't know. I want him to know what Dan did to my mom, though. Cooper and my mom were close. He took her death really hard. If he didn't kill Dan, knowing that Dan killed my mom is just going to make him wish that he had. But, I can't just accuse him of killing Dan, you know? That's a big thing to accuse someone of."

"Well, we'll investigate. We'll be like Nick and Nora Charles. We'll start by going to your dad's house. I'll go with you. I know it's not the easiest place for you to go."

"You'd really do this with me?"

"Of course. I don't know if you remember," she teased, "but we got married yesterday. I'm with you through everything. I love you, Nathan."

"I love you too, Haley Scott."

"I don't think I'll ever get tired of hearing that," she said, leaning in for a kiss. "Let's go. The sooner we go, the sooner we can go back home," she winked.

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> Thank you for reading and for reviewing! You guys are great. :)


	26. I Wasn't at Peace

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Notes:** I know it's been over two weeks and I apologize for that. I hope you like this one. Read the note at the end for a note about future updates. :)

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><p>The house had always had an austere quality to it. With its brick structure, the columns looming, and it's long driveway, it made those visiting feel intimidated before they even reached the front door. As always, the lawn was freshly manicured even though it was now winter. The leaves were falling from the trees and the grass was no longer as green as it was during the spring and summer months. Nathan had slowed his pace as they turned onto the street. Haley hadn't said anything, but she understood why. She understood that this house held such horrific memories for Nathan. She was proud of him for doing this.<p>

Nathan hadn't been afraid of this house as a child. It simply was his house and that was that. He had grown up there, so to speak. He had gotten older there and had been forced to grow up when he saw his father kill his mother and shoot his uncle that fateful night. He hadn't felt comfortable there ever since.

Haley could tell that Nathan's posture had stiffened. He was so rigid as he walked that she thought that it was making his limp even more pronounced. She comfortingly rubbed her hand down his back, trying to bring him some relief from what they were about to do. She heard him take in a deep breath as they reached the porch. It was tidy, immaculate. It made Nathan uncomfortable and his discomfort made Haley uncomfortable. She, too, took a deep breath. She wouldn't let Nathan's nerves about this house get to her so that she could be there for him.

He had come here the day before and she felt even more love for him knowing that he had done it so that he could pawn his gun and get her a wedding ring. She really hadn't expected the jewelry, but now that it was on her finger, she would never be removing it. She knew that he felt the same way about his own ring.

"I'm right here with you," she said softly as they stayed rooted on the porch in front of the door.

Nathan wouldn't dare walk in as if it were his house. He had snuck in yesterday without anyone noticing. He didn't care then. But, today, he wouldn't just walk in. He didn't even have a key anymore. Yesterday, he had used a key that his mom had hidden in a corner. Apparently, Dan had never discovered it.

Tentatively, Nathan raised his hand and knocked. He stuck his hand back in his pocket and winced even though nothing had happened. He and Haley stood there in silence, waiting for someone to answer the door.

"He can't hurt you anymore, Nathan. I know what this house means for you, but it can't hurt you and neither can Dan."

Instead of staring at the oak door like he had been, he looked down at his wife. His expression immediately softened and he felt the tension leave his body. He smiled down at her, so happy that she was here with him. It wasn't lost on him that the last time they had both been here at the same time, he had been hiding in a closet and she had been helping his drunken mother into bed.

"I love you," he said. It felt so much better knowing that even though he was about to walk into that house again that she was there with him.

"I love you too. We'll find out who did this. We'll do it for your mom," she assured him.

That was really all that he needed to hear to give him the courage to go in there. She was right. They would try to find out who killed Dan and who, therefore, took away Nathan's goal of making sure that Dan paid for his crimes. Nathan had thought about it while they walked over there. Haley was right; it wasn't really revenge that he was after. He just wanted everyone to know that their mayor, the man they trusted and admired, had murdered his own wife in cold blood. As her death got further and further from him, Nathan had time to think about just how much his mother had suffered living with Dan Scott. He had put her through so much.

He had often thought about Dan's words to Keith before he shot him. Dan had said that Keith had stolen Karen. He wondered if his mother had known that Dan still, after all that time, had feelings for Karen. If she had, that wasn't fair. Living with Dan for eighteen years like that, he didn't wonder why she drank. He didn't blame her for not being the greatest mother to him. He felt that they both should have been stronger to stand up to Dan. He was glad that he had finally done that the night before Dan died. It gave him some satisfaction. He hoped that his mother was watching and was proud of him. He knew that Haley was.

The door opened and a surprised Ida appeared from behind it.

"Mr. Nathan. Miss Haley."

"It's just Nathan and Haley, Ida," Nathan replied. He was always glad to see her. She was the one person who had been there for he and his mother during their years with Dan. She was there as much as she could be.

"I suppose you're here about what happened to Mayor Scott."

Nathan nodded and took his hat off, shoving it into his jacket pocket, as Ida stepped aside to let them in the house.

"We wanted to see how Rachel, Mrs. Scott, was doing," Haley added. Nathan helped her off with her coat and before Ida could take them from him, he draped them carelessly across the table in the foyer, knowing that his father would have hated it.

"Well," Ida looked upstairs, "she hasn't been down much since we found out last night. She's been up there with Mr. Tommy and I bring them their meals. How are you?"

"I'm fine, Ida. No need to worry about me. In fact, I'm better than fine."

Ida raised an eyebrow. Nathan reached for Haley, wrapping his arm around her waist. "Ida, I'd like you to meet my wife, Haley."

A smile stretched across Ida's features and she dispensed with the usual formalities that she adhered to when she was around Nathan. She put her arms around him, hugging him and telling him how happy she was for him.

"Nathan Royal Scott, I am so happy for you. For both of you. You two are going to be so happy together."

"We already are," Haley told her.

"That's wonderful to hear. Just wonderful. But, I know you came to talk to Mrs. Scott – the other Mrs. Scott – so I'll just go see about getting her down here."

"You said she's upstairs? We'll just head up, Ida," Nathan told her. As usual, Haley gave him a surge of confidence. He had a feeling that Rachel wouldn't come downstairs. They wanted to talk to her, so he knew that they were going to have to take the initiative.

"You should come by the café for dinner, Ida. We can all catch up," Haley suggested.

"We will do that," Ida agreed. "That sounds just lovely. Just to warn you, I don't think she's taking this whole thing very well. I suppose I don't blame her. It's been tense in this house recently. The two of them were not getting along and she was walking on eggshells when he was here. She's been spending most of her days upstairs with Tommy."

With a nod, Nathan, his arm still around Haley, let her go first. When they reached the top of the stairs, she was unsure of where to go. She had only ever been in Deb Scott's room those three years prior.

"To the left," he told her, guessing that Rachel would be in the master bedroom. Dan and Deb hadn't shared a bedroom for years before her murder. He wouldn't be going in that room at all. He would avoid it in the same way he avoided the living room. He moved his arm from around Haley and laced his fingers with hers, now taking the lead. When he came to a door at the end of the hallway, he paused. He looked at Haley for reassurance and got it. She gave him a nod and she gently squeezed his hand. He knocked and they waited for some sort of response.

"I told you, Ida. I'm fine. We don't need anything," Rachel's muffled voice came from behind the door.

Nathan opened his mouth to speak, but Haley stopped him.

"It isn't Ida," Haley said. She said nothing more and waited for Rachel to come to the door. She hoped that she would, even if it was just to send them away. They waited for several moments, but nothing happened. They could hear some activity going on behind the closed door, but weren't sure what was going on. After a few more moments, Haley slowly opened the door and walked in.

"Rachel?" She looked to the corner and saw Rachel sitting in front of a vanity, an assortment of makeup in front of her. Rachel was in the midst of applying some powder to her cheeks.

"You can't just walk in here," Rachel protested, turning from her seat and noticing who it was. Haley had come forward, stepping further into the room. Nathan hung back by the door. He noticed that Tommy was on the floor, happily playing with some of his toys on a blanket that Rachel had laid out for him. The room was warm thanks to the fire lit on the far side of it.

"We just came to see how you were doing," Haley explained. "We know this can't be easy on you, losing your husband."

Rachel stood. Her posture was defensive. Her hair was down with some of it partially covering her face. Nathan and Haley could both see that she was trying to stand strong, but that she was also trying to hide something. Nathan assumed it was to hide the bruise on her cheek, which she wasn't aware that they knew about.

"I'm," Rachel paused, "as well as can be expected, I suppose. Why are you two here? You've never cared to come by before."

Haley looked to Nathan as he hung back. His eyes were now fixed on Tommy, watching the boy play. The child had no clue what was going on. He looked so happy and carefree. Taking a chance, Nathan went to the boy, knelt down, and began playing with him. Both Rachel and Haley watched as Tommy handed Nathan some of his blocks and then as Tommy pushed his toy train toward Nathan. They continued watching as Tommy crawled into Nathan's lap. Haley could see that Nathan was caught off guard by this, but he took it in stride. He shifted so that Tommy could get more comfortable and looked on as Tommy showed him his toy train, saying, "Choo choo."

"Rachel, we really did want to see how you were doing. We both know what it's like to lose someone close to you. Maybe not a husband, but it is still hard. Not to mention, you have a young son to raise without a father." Haley wasn't about to indicate that she and Nathan had suspicions regarding Tommy's paternity. Looking back at Nathan and Tommy, she thought she could see a resemblance between the two of them and Cooper. There were similarities in their eyes. They weren't the same, but there was something in them.

"Tommy and I will be just fine," Rachel said, her voice shaking ever so slightly.

Haley shook her head. "I'm assuming the police came by."

"Of course they did. They came by last night to tell me what happened." Rachel sat in a chair by the fire place, turning her back on Haley and Nathan, but giving no indication that she was going to ask them to leave. "I was in bed. My face was even covered in my cold cream," she smirked. "The sheriff spoke to me and asked a few questions before leaving. I suppose I'll have to start planning his funeral. The whole town will expect something great for the mayor."

"Rachel, if you need anything you can let us know. We're in the apartment above the café if you need anything."

Rachel turned her head to Haley, for a moment forgetting to cover her face with her hair. She looked to Haley and then to Nathan.

"You married him, didn't you? You two got married. I know Dan didn't like you two together. Oh, he would have hated this. Did he know? When did you do this?" Rachel seemed to forget that she was a grieving widow.

"Yesterday. We don't know if Dan knew," Haley confessed.

"It wouldn't matter if he did," Nathan added, standing from the floor. Tommy was now busying himself with a toy truck.

Rachel stood and went to her son, picking him up. Nathan was surprised to see her showing affection for the boy. The last time he had been with Rachel in the house, Tommy was nowhere to be seen and he got the feeling that she really wasn't a hands on mother. Now, that seemed to have changed. She seemed to actually really care for the boy.

Rachel got her first good look at Nathan. He had now come further into the room to stand with Haley. Rachel held her son close, but Tommy reached for Nathan, laughing. She took a good look at his face, shocked by what she saw.

"What happened to you?"

Nathan didn't answer at first. Rachel had again forgotten that she was trying to cover her face. Nathan and Haley could both tell that the makeup she had applied was covering more than the bruise on her cheek. They saw a darkening underneath her eye.

"My guess," Nathan said, "the same thing that happened to you."

Rachel took a step backward. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Nathan felt the confidence to speak. He felt confidence in what he was doing. If he was going to accomplish this and find out who killed his father he would have to. "Yes, you do. I lived with him for most of my life. I saw what he did to my mother and I know he hit you."

"Why- why did he hit you?"

Nathan shrugged. "Does it matter?"

"I guess not."

"We'll leave you now," Nathan said. "What Haley said, if you need anything, just let us know."

Nathan and Haley turned to leave.

"Wait," Rachel stopped them. "Do you have any idea what he would have wanted? For the funeral, I mean. I don't even know where to begin."

They could tell from her tone that she seemed desperate. It wasn't just for help with planning the funeral. She was desperate for some form of kindness and warmth.

"The desk in his study. The top left drawer. If it's locked, there's a key hidden behind the flower pot on the left side of the window," Nathan answered. He put his arm around Haley and turned so that they could leave. Before they walked out the door, he stopped. He didn't turn to look at her, but he stopped. "They sheriff doesn't know who killed him, Rachel. They have no idea."

"They mentioned that when they came to speak to me last night," Rachel said, her voice getting slightly higher than it had been. It sounded slightly unnerved.

"It's been hours since then, though," Nathan pointed out. "They still have no clue. I just thought you'd want to know." Nathan did turn to look at her now and noticed that she looked like she was about to be ill. The color drained from her face and her hand was on her stomach, almost as if she was trying to hold it in. "Call on us if you need anything."

Nathan and Haley went downstairs, stopping to say goodbye to Ida before leaving. They made plans for Ida to join them at the café for dinner in a few nights. It was something for them all to look forward to.

Nathan felt better walking out of that house. It was suffocating outside. Whenever he left it he hoped that he would never have to return there again. He had a feeling that he wasn't done with that house, though.

"She seemed off when you told her that they didn't know who did it," Haley observed. "She lost all the color in her face."

"I noticed. I don't know what that means though."

"We'll figure it out. It's a start, right? She seemed pretty lost."

"She did. That's also the most I've really seen her care for Tommy."

"You know, even though Dan wasn't the greatest husband I think he maybe offered her some stability. He hit her, we could see that, and she didn't deny that. But, with him she had a home, she had a place in the world, and she didn't have to worry about taking care of Tommy. She'll be fine. I'm sure Dan left her a lot of money. She's probably just scared and seeking some comfort in Tommy.

"I liked watching you with him," Haley beamed. Nathan shrugged, so she continued. "I'm serious, Nathan. You were great with that little boy. He really took to you. You were a natural."

"I don't know about that, Hales. He was just sitting there and he just lost the only father he ever really knew. I just thought he could use some company."

"See, you acted out of empathy. You're going to make a great father someday, Nathan. I know it."

"Do you think it'll be soon?"

It was now Haley's turn to shrug. "It could, I suppose. Are you okay with that?"

Quickly, Nathan nodded, not wanting her to think that he didn't want that. He did. They had spoken about it before they got married. He wanted her to be the mother of his children. He didn't want her to think that he was rethinking things now that it was a very real possibility that they could be having a child. "I'd be more than fine with that, Hales. I was just wondering. I mean, it's only been two times," he said, lowering his voice. "This morning was…"

"Yes," Haley agreed, blushing.

"You're okay?"

"I'm more than okay, Nathan. You don't have to keep asking."

"I know. I do. Everything is just so new. You know?"

"I do. But, we probably shouldn't be talking about this in the middle of town."

Nathan chuckled a little, "What? You don't want Mrs. Crowley and Mrs. Hannon knowing all about this?"

"Absolutely not," Haley said, her tone stern, but knowing that her husband was kidding. She felt a wave of butterflies in her stomach thinking of Nathan as her husband. They had been married for a day and it happened every time. She wondered if it always would.

"You can always take my mind off of whatever's bothering me. How do you do that?"

In response, Haley shrugged. "I don't know, but I'm glad I can do that for you. Whenever you need me, you know I'll be here, right?"

"I do know that," Nathan said, leaning down and kissing the top of her head.

"Well, well, if it isn't Mr. and Mrs. Scott."

Haley and Nathan stopped when they heard Dr. Durham's gruff voice in front of them. They smiled at the old man, who was smiling at them with a glint of mischief.

"Good news travels fast," the doctor said, with a wink. "So, you married the girl."

"Smartest thing I ever did," Nathan affirmed.

"I don't doubt that. She'll be proving that to you the rest of your life, too."

"I believe it."

"So, how you holdin' up with news of your old man?"

"It is what it is," Nathan told him. "He's gone. He wasn't a father for a long time. He was a bad person. I didn't want him in my life."

"But you wish you could've made him pay for what he did to your mama," the doctor guessed.

"Of course," Nathan quickly answered. They were now free to speak openly about the matter. Everyone knew that Keith was alive, so they didn't have to hide anything. They didn't have to worry about Dan and what he might possibly do if he found out that they knew what he did. It was as if they had a sense of freedom now.

"How are you doing as far as a job?"

"Well, I don't work at the club anymore," Nathan stated. "Neither of us do. Even if Dan hadn't died, we were done with it."

"Glad to hear that."

"I've got to look for a job though. So much has happened in the past day that I haven't had a chance, but I guess I'll start first thing in the morning."

"What do you say to starting out at the school tomorrow morning around nine?"

"The school?" Haley looked at the doctor curiously.

"Coach Hemmens is shipping out on Friday. Principal Emerson is in a bind trying to find a replacement to teach his classes and to coach the team this spring. He remembers you as a cocky ne'er do well."

"That sounds about right," Nathan said, embarrassed.

"It isn't you anymore," Dr. Durham said. "I told him that. He said he'd be willing to talk to you if you're interested."

"Seriously?"

"Oh, Doctor, that would be wonderful for him. Thank you," Haley said, beaming. "What do you think?" She turned her attention to her husband.

"I think it sounds great," Nathan said excitedly. "Better than great. I could do that. I could be good at that. Tomorrow at nine. I'll be there. Thank you, Doc," Nathan said, taking the man's hand in a firm handshake.

"I didn't do anything. You're the one that has to prove to him that you can do this. Congratulations, you two," Dr. Durham said, walking away.

Haley squeezed Nathan's arm and grinned at him as they continued their walk back to the café. "Oh, Nathan, this is wonderful! This would be such a wonderful job for you. I think you would really love it. And if you started soon it would give you time to sort out some ideas for the team once baseball starts in the spring."

"Wouldn't it be nice if someday you got to teach there? We could be working together like we did at the club, but it would be better. We wouldn't be around drunken idiots all the time, them making comments at you and looking you up and down."

"It would be something," she said, a wistful look in her eye.

"We'll get you to school, Hales. And if this works out, maybe I can talk to Emerson about you coming in and, I don't know, maybe helping out with some of the kids who need it? You'd be just great at it."

"First things first, Nathan. We have to get you that job. I just know when you go in to speak with Principal Emerson tomorrow he'll see that you're a responsible man who can be trusted with the job. Maybe you can borrow a suit from Lucas."

"He's got smaller shoulders than me. I'll just wear a tie like I did yesterday."

"Okay. You'll do fine; I know it."

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><p>The next day, Karen did open the café. The café was even busier than it usually was. Customers were mostly curious to know about what was going on with Keith. For their part, Karen and Haley were largely silent on the matter. They simply confirmed that Keith was alive and they left it at that. While Karen worked, Keith was at home with Lily. His mood had completely changed from his time in the basement and on the boat. He was happy now. He was getting to know his daughter and he knew that his wife would be coming home to him later that evening. He had been having so much fun that he hadn't given any thought to his own business, which his wife had been running dutifully in his absence.<p>

Nathan had put on an apron after returning from his meeting with Principal Emerson. They had been so busy that he hadn't had a chance to tell her how the meeting went. Haley thought he looked so sweet with an apron tied around his waist as he tried to help her with customers. He was already so familiar with the café's menu that he only had a little trouble when customers were ordering. The café had been so busy and he had spent some time watching his wife run around in a frenzy trying to take care of everything. She had been shocked, but touched, when she emerged from the kitchen with an order to find her husband at a table attempting to take someone's order. He had been helping all day.

Along with news of Keith, the customers were also abuzz with the information that Dan Scott was dead and that Nathan and Haley were married. The residents of Tree Hill had long memories and did not need to be reminded of a time when Nathan, along with Damien and Tim, had gone through Tree Hill causing trouble and bullying others. They also remembered Haley and the fact that she had always been willing to help anyone in need and how devoted she was to her family and her friends. They had all worried when Lydia and Jimmy James died. Though everyone had known that Nathan and Haley had been seeing each other, seeing them married and together so completely was something of a surprise for them.

It was just after the normal lunch rush when things finally began to settle. Nathan had since rolled up his sleeves and had a pencil tucked behind his ear. He heard the bell above the door chime and told the newly arrived customer, "Take a seat and I'll be right with you." Nathan was vaguely aware of the customer taking a seat at the counter.

Walking behind the counter, Nathan stiffened when he saw who it was. He hadn't seen the man in years. The last time was at his mother's funeral. He still looked the same. "Can I help you?"

"Nathan, how are you?"

"I'm fine. What can I get for you?"

"Nathan, I'm here about your father." Before the man could say anything else, Haley came from the kitchen. Noticing her husband's posture, she stood next to him, placing a comforting hand on his back.

"What's going on?"

"This is Mr. McDonald," Nathan answered. "He was Dan's lawyer."

"Until the contents of his will are settled, I am still Mayor Scott's attorney," McDonald answered. "I'm here about his will, actually."

"I don't want anything," Nathan responded.

"Actually, it isn't just your presence that is requested, Nathan. Mayor Scott left instructions that Mrs. Scott be present for the reading of his will. That will be tomorrow at three o'clock in the afternoon."

"Which Mrs. Scott? There are four of us in Tree Hill," Haley pointed out.

"Mayor Scott's instructions were for Mrs. Haley James Scott to attend."

Haley's eyes went wide with shock. "Me? Why in the world would Dan want me at the reading of his will?"

"I'm afraid I cannot say, Mrs. Scott. The contents of Mayor Scott's will cannot be disclosed until tomorrow afternoon. I'll see you both then," McDonald bid them goodbye.

Nathan's posture relaxed when the man was out the door and he turned to Haley. "I told you he had some weird attachment to you. This just proves it."

"Why me? I wonder why I have to be there?"

"I guess we have to go now to find out," Nathan shrugged, scratching the back of his head.

"Well, don't worry, Nathan. We'll be doing it together." She looked around and noticed that they had a few moments. The customers that were left were all eating happily and no one was demanding their attention. She reached her hand up and removed the pencil from behind his ear. "How did it go this morning?"

Nathan had nearly forgotten about his meeting amidst all of the activity at the café. A wide smile spread across his face and he wrapped his arms around his wife's slender waist. "He hired me. He said that it was clear that I wasn't the same person I was in school and that if I could change like this I might be a good influence on those boys. He also said that he remembered you and trusted your judgment. Said if you married me then I must be all right."

"He did not say that," Haley protested.

"He did, Hales. I'm serious. He thinks a lot of you. So, I'm now Coach Scott. I start on Monday. The pay isn't great, but it's a lot better than what I was getting at the club. I'll also be home by five every evening."

Haley let out a squeal and jumped into Nathan's arms, startling the customers. Neither Nathan nor Haley paid any attention to anyone else in the café. Nathan kept his arms around her, keeping her a few inches off of the ground. They failed to notice Karen when she came from the kitchen after hearing Haley's outburst.

Karen smiled at them both, not being able to help it. She loved seeing the girl she had known since she was just a child so happy and so in love. She also loved that she had gotten to spend more time with Nathan in recent months. Getting to know him was something that she would treasure, because she now knew what she always suspected. He needed to get away from Dan to be the man that he was supposed to be. She had been just as impressed and touched as Haley when she had found him waiting tables for the day. She had told him that he didn't need to and he told her that he was happy to help, especially now that he was living there. Karen had a feeling that for the rest of the time that they lived at the café, Nathan would be helping Haley in the morning setting things up. Karen really had no objection to letting Nathan live there with Haley. She had no objections to them as a couple; she had no reservations. Nathan Scott was, like his uncle, a good man.

Karen thought, as she watched them, that the parallels that Dan saw between his and Karen's history and the history that Nathan and Haley were building weren't so far off. Karen and Haley had each ended up with a loving, generous man who treated them with respect and kindness.

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><p>Haley closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of being wrapped in her husband's arms as the warm bath water enveloped them and soothed them. It had been a long day of waiting tables for both of them. After long hours on their feet, Haley had suggested a bath when they got upstairs after closing. They had offered to close on their own so that Karen could go home to Keith. She had protested, but they had been insistent. They had practically pushed her out the door while helping her with her coat. She had walked out to find her husband and daughter waiting for her and she felt that the two inside may have had something to do with that.<p>

After heating up the water and shedding their clothing, Haley now sat reclining against her husband's strong chest, her eyes closed and feeling more content than she ever had before. His arms were around her waist and his head was resting on hers. She didn't have to see him to know that his eyes were also closed. She felt him tracing small patterns on her arm and she smiled, settling into him even further.

"It's been a good day," she said. "Busy, but good. I'm so proud of you, Nathan."

"I know what you're gonna say, but I really couldn't have done this without you, Haley. Remember all those months ago when the Doc told me to find something else that I love? I found something that I love more. I found you. That's made everything else possible, including this job. So, thank you. Thanks for believing in me. You're the first person."

"That's not true. Lucas…"

"It's not the same. You believe in me so completely. It's just different."

"I do believe in you completely, Nathan." She opened her eyes and tilted her head so that she could look at him. His hand moved so that it was just at the underside of her breast, but it didn't go further. "No matter what happens tomorrow with Mr. McDonald, it doesn't matter, Nathan. It's you and me."

"I know, Hales. I don't know what Dan had up his sleeve, but we'll find out. Whatever it was, it isn't going to stop us from being us. I have faith in that. I believe in us."

Haley leaned up and placed a light, chaste kiss on his jaw. "I feel like we're in such a good place together, Nathan. I feel like we can accomplish anything together. No matter what happens, I know that it'll be fine because we're together. And I feel like we've reached a turning point, I guess. We're in a great place with you having this job. I didn't expect us to get married so soon, but nothing has ever felt more right. It's like I feel at peace and I didn't even realize that I wasn't at peace."

Nathan took in her words. He had known how sad she was and how she struggled with the death of her parents and her isolation from her family, even if it was partially self-imposed, but it amazed him that she gave him such credit for making her happy. He knew there was a change. He had seen it in her in their time together. He had just never experienced something where he changed another person so completely and for the better. Not knowing what to say, he leaned down and captured her lips in his in a searing, earth shattering kiss. They didn't part for long moments, exploring each other's mouths, his grip on her getting tighter, and her arm snaking around his neck. When they did pull apart, they were both panting for air, but still wanting to go back for more. Every ounce of feeling, every ounce of love was poured into that kiss so that words between them were not needed.

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><p><strong>Note:<strong> This story is almost over and the truth is, I've lost most of my motivation to write it. I will be finishing it. There are only a few chapters left. What I'm going to do is wait to post any further chapters until I've finished the entire thing. I've also begun writing my next story. So, I really do thank you for your patience with this. Thank you for your reviews and for reading it. :)


	27. We Deserve This

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Notes:** Well, are you still with me? I really hope so. I know I warned you during the last chapter that I was going to finish the story before posting anymore. It's done. I'm just polishing the epilogue. So, three more chapters (this one included) and then the epilogue. I'll be posting them all between now and January 31st. Thank you for being patient with me. I really appreciate it.

* * *

><p>Nathan had been fidgety all morning. Haley noticed it and tried not to comment. She worked at the café that morning with Nathan once again helping. She was glad that they had something to keep them busy and she was impressed that Nathan managed to stay focused as he waited on customers. She hadn't done as well as he did. She could still tell that he was fidgeting, though. She could read him so well.<p>

Now, they were both sitting in Mr. McDonald's waiting room waiting to be called into his office. They sat side by side, holding hands. Nathan's knee was bouncing up and down and he stared at the carpet on the floor. Haley, her ankles crossed, just held onto his hand trying to be as supportive as possible. If it hadn't been for her inclusion in the will they would not be here. Nathan was serious when he decided that he was done with Dan, once and for all. They had discussed it the night before Mr. McDonald came to see them.

Lying in bed next to each other, they had spoken for hours instead of falling asleep. Pressed up against each other after making love once again, Nathan had told her that no matter what, now that Dan was dead, he no longer wanted anything to do with him. He would find out who killed him for Deb's sake, but that was the end of it. He was certain that his father hadn't left him anything in the will. After his knee injury and not being able to play baseball anymore, he was of no use to Dan. He felt that in his core. Dan hiring him at the club was simply Dan's way of keeping control over him. He did it just to play with him. He had, for months, gone against Dan's wishes. So, what could Dan possibly want him to have? Nathan was sure there was nothing until Mr. McDonald had come to see them and said that both were included in the will.

Nathan had also made the decision not to attend Dan's funeral. He wasn't sure when it was and he didn't care. He had no respects to pay to the man. Haley had asked him if he was sure about that and if he might someday regret the decision. Nathan understood where she was coming from. Both of her parents were gone and she missed them terribly. Now, both of his parents were gone, but they both understood that the circumstances were quite different. Haley understood that her husband lost both of his parents before she lost either of hers. It hurt her to know that he hadn't had the loving upbringing that she had had. But, it also made her feel better knowing that they would eventually bring children into the world who would be loved just as much as Haley and her siblings.

"Where is Tommy this afternoon?" Haley tried to cut through the uncomfortable silence in the room. Rachel was seated in a chair adjacent from where Nathan and Haley were. She hadn't come to them for help since they offered a few days earlier. She was dressed in the characteristic black of a widow. A veil attached to her hat covered her face, but her red lips shone through. Haley thought that it seemed that Rachel had done a better job of covering the bruises on her face than she had when she hastily tried to do it the other day. The bruises reminded her of her husband's. Looking at him, she saw what she had seen that morning. His bruises were fading, even though they were still there. More and more, he was looking like himself again. Either way, with bruises or without, she still knew he was the most handsome man she had ever seen.

"He's with Ida," Rachel answered, her tone confrontational. "She offered to watch him while I was here."

"Ida is very helpful," Haley agreed.

Rachel looked at Haley. "Why are you here, Haley?"

Haley opened her mouth to answer, but didn't have the chance. Mr. McDonald opened the door to his office and greeted the three of them with a friendly smile, stepping aside so that they could enter his office. Rachel went first and took a seat. Nathan, silent since they walked into the building, let Haley enter before him.

"How are you all?" Mr. McDonald took a seat behind his desk as the three of them got settled. Nathan and Haley held hands the entire time. In response to Mr. McDonald's question, he was given various answers that all told him that they were fine. He knew that they weren't answering him honestly and he was fine with that. Asking and answering was merely a courtesy.

"Well, as you all know, we're here for the reading of Mayor Scott – Dan's – will. You three are the ones listed as recipients of his assets." Haley shared a look with Nathan, both of them still confused about why Dan had included her. They didn't notice that Rachel was looking at them curiously.

"Dan revised his will about three weeks ago," the attorney revealed. "He was very specific about what he wanted. I'll go ahead and begin reading if there are no objections." McDonald waited a few moments and getting no response from the three people in front of him, he began to read.

"I, Daniel Royal Scott, being of sound mind and body, do hereby bequeath my assets as follows. To my wife, Rachel Gatina Scott, I leave the enclosed letter. The contents of the letter will explain everything I feel for my wife and include everything that I want her to have." Mr. McDonald picked up a letter and handed it to Rachel, who took it with slightly trembling hands.

"For my son, Nathan Royal Scott, should I die before he reaches his twenty-fifth birthday, I leave him the $3,000 that I placed in trust for him at the time of his birth." The lawyer handed Nathan a long envelope. Nathan didn't open it, but he was certain that it contained a check for $3,000.

"At the time of writing this, my last will and testament, Nathan is seeing Miss Haley James. She may, by this time, be known as Mrs. Haley Scott. Miss James, or Mrs. Scott, is to be left the bulk of my estate. The earnings from the car dealership and the earnings from my nightclub, as well as the club, the dealership, and my house, are to go to her. All of it is for her to do with as she pleases."

Haley, Nathan, and Rachel all sat there dumbfounded. For several long moments, no one said a word.

Haley leaned forward in her chair, her eyes still wide. "Mr. McDonald, is this some sort of joke?"

"No, Mrs. Scott. It is not. I asked Dan about this when he did it. He said very kind things about you. He really thought very highly of you. He said that you were one of the few people he had ever met who wasn't hiding anything. I have here for you the deeds for the house, the club, and the dealership. His accounts have been settled with the bank and I have a check for you. He wanted to make sure that you knew that the funds in there were for his earnings from his legitimate business dealings with the dealership and the club. He was very clear that you be made aware of that.

"Well, that concludes our business. I'm sorry that we all had to meet under these circumstances. Mayor Scott's will was very clear and specific, so there is no unattended business as of now. I trust I'll see you all at the service tomorrow. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon."

Though still stunned, the three young people stood and left the office. They walked almost as if they were in a trance.

"I know you weren't sleeping with him," Rachel said quietly. "I know that because I know you. Why would he leave you all of that?" She looked at the envelope, still clutched in her hand, and opened it carefully. She took out a small note card and Nathan and Haley both turned slightly to give her some privacy. They heard Rachel mutter something, but weren't sure what it was. They watched as she clutched the letter, crumpling it into a ball and strode out of the office.

With a silent look of understanding, Nathan and Haley left the office. Haley placed the envelope containing Nathan's check into the larger envelope that contained the deeds for her new properties, as well as her own check. Nathan held them underneath the arm that wasn't linked with his wife's. They didn't voice where they were headed, but they both knew that they were going to the café. It was their home for now.

Karen had, of course, given them the afternoon to go to Mr. McDonald's office. She told them to go ahead and take the rest of the day off and had Brooke helping her out with some help from Julian. They had also agreed that tonight would finally be the night they all had dinner together. After Karen closed the café, which she would be doing early, they would be heading to her house for dinner.

While Haley and Nathan had a lot on their minds and would have loved another night just to themselves, they were also looking forward to dinner. This would be the first time with all of them together. Even when Keith had been around before they thought he was dead they had never done this. Now, family meant something new. Lucas and Nathan were no longer children. Each had wives and each understood the value of family in a way they never had before, Nathan especially. Brooke had also become a part of their family through her friendship with Haley and then having lived with Karen for nearly two years. Karen really saw both Haley and Brooke as daughters. Julian was easily becoming a part of their group.

Nathan stopped and stood in front of Haley. They were both cold. As they got further into December, Tree Hill got colder and colder. Frost covered the grass in the mornings and even though it was now afternoon, they could still see their own breath.

"Use the money," he stated. "Use it. I know what you're thinking. I know you're thinkin' of me, Hales. I love you. Dan… he made sure you knew that none of that was bootlegging money or from anything illegal because he knew you wouldn't use it otherwise. I know you might say no because you know I don't want anything to do with him. More than I don't want anything to do with him, I want you to have everything you deserve. Use this money for school. Please. I know I'm going to use mine to get us a place to live. Now that he's dead, let's see that Dan's good for something."

"Nathan," she reached for his gloved hand. "I don't want you to regret this."

"Haley, going to school is what you've always wanted. You've struggled to get there for over two years. You deserve this more than anyone's deserved anything. I will never regret you being happy. Use this money. Keep it and use it. Keep the club if you want. Who knows, it might be a good business and it might be a way to bring in some extra money. That way, when we do have kids, we can provide for them. I mean, my coaching job is gonna help a lot. I was feeling better about that even before we found out about this. But, this can help us, Hales. Dan never helped anyone in his life. Let's make sure he does it now. I promise you, I will not regret this."

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure, Haley. He was right, you know. Knowing how honest you were. Good people deserve good things."

"I don't want that house," she said, knowing how painful it was for Nathan. She would have never wanted it.

"We don't need that house," Nathan agreed. "But you keep the rest."

"Nathan, were you thinking about this the whole time we've been walking?"

"I've been thinking about it since McDonald read that will. There's no doubt in my mind that this is right for you."

"For us. What's mine is yours, you know. This is for us. You're right; it would help when we have a baby."

"I'm not gonna touch your money, Hales. You use it for school."

"Okay, I'll use it for school and then it'll be ours. Nathan, it's more money than I'll need just for myself."

"I want you to cut back on your hours, too. I have a good job now, Hales. I can take care of us after we get our own place. I know you won't stop working completely since it's Karen, but cut back so you can focus on school. You know she can get help from Brooke and it looks like Julian's pretty handy in an apron."

Haley laughed at Nathan's joke. In the days since their marriage things had changed so drastically. She couldn't believe that now she was finally able to go to school like she'd always wanted. Even more surprising was that Dan Scott had provided her to means to do that. Dan Scott was a surprise; that was certain.

* * *

><p>Somehow, Karen's house seemed fuller now that Keith was back home where he belonged. When they arrived, Haley had gone into the kitchen to try to help Karen, but was shut out. Karen smiled happily and insisted that Haley take the evening off from serving and helping. Karen had put Keith to work and it touched Haley's heart to see that they'd gone back to living their lives as if Keith had never been gone.<p>

Eventually, everyone trickled in and they were seated around Karen and Keith's crowded dining room table. Before they began eating, Karen cleared her throat.

"Things are quite different than they were last week when we did this. Gradually, as the weeks have gone by and we've done this, we have seen a few changes. The way this started off… we'd been apart for so long and it was nice to have a chance to come back together. This week, though, things changed. Some of the things that have changed are, well, they're scary," she looked to her son. "Other things are worth celebrating. They're something that we should celebrate and support," she looked next at Nathan and Haley. "And others are just miraculous," she nearly had tears in her eyes looking at her husband. "So, let us celebrate what we have and cherish it. Never take it for granted."

Taking a sip of her drink, everyone followed suit. Soon, food was being passed around and plates were being filled.

"I'd like to go see Rachel after dinner," Haley quietly told Nathan. "You don't have to go with me."

"Of course I'm going with you," he said.

"So, Nate, Hales," Lucas took the rolls she had offered him, "how did the meeting with the lawyer go?"

"Uh," Nathan cleared his throat, "well, Dan left me some money."

"Yes, but why was Tutor Wife in the will?" Brooke could tell that Nathan and Haley were stalling and skirting around the issue.

"Well, Dan, he, well, he sort of…," Haley stammered.

"He left her everything," Nathan revealed.

"Everything?" It didn't matter who asked. They were all thinking it.

"He left me everything," Haley confirmed. "The club, the dealership, the house, and the money. All of it."

The entire table was silent. No one was eating their food. No one was even touching their silverware. They were all staring at Nathan and Haley and no one was sure of what to do.

Finally, it was Keith who spoke. "You use every penny of that money, Haley James Scott. Every single cent he left you, you use it. It's yours and you deserve it. You go to school and get that education you always wanted. You and Nathan buy yourselves your own house, not that you're not welcome above the café for as long as you'd like, you take that money and you use it. My brother should have taken care of Karen twenty years ago. He should have stepped up and done the right thing, but he didn't. He never went out of his way to help anyone while he was alive. Now that he's gone, use that money for some good. Live your life, Haley. You and Nathan both deserve this. And if you want some help with the dealership, all you have to do is ask. I know how both you and your husband are with cars."

"You would really be okay if I kept the money?" Haley didn't want to upset Keith, Karen, or Lucas. Keith had lost so much from Dan and his opinion meant a lot.

"I would be upset if you didn't, Haley. I mean every word of that. This is your chance."

"That's basically what I told her," Nathan said, agreeing with his uncle.

"I can't believe he left you everything," Lucas marveled. "That's just insane. I mean, I guess what Nate said about his being attached to you…"

"He told McDonald that she was one of the few people he'd ever met who wasn't hiding anything," Nathan informed them.

"I think we know who one of the others was," Keith guessed, looking at Karen.

"I'm so excited!" Brooke was excited. Haley was going to get to go to school. Brooke had never met anyone who loved school was much as Haley. For over two years, Brooke had watched Haley work hard. She and Karen had been the ones there the entire time seeing Haley work. Brooke credited Haley with teaching her the value of hard work. The hard work hadn't been what turned things around for Haley, but Brooke still felt that Haley worked hard and that somehow, she was now being rewarded for her work and her patience. "We should throw you a party! Like a Keith-is-back-from-the-dead-Naley-are-married-and-Haley-gets-to-go-to-school party! Now that you own a nightclub, we have the perfect spot for it!"

"What are you going to do with the club?" Lucas had always avoided the club. He had gone in twice. The first time was to break in. He went in the second time when they'd been called there when Dan died. Nowhere that was Dan's was somewhere that Lucas really wanted to be.

"I haven't thought of that yet. This is all so new. I know that I don't want to keep the house. Nathan has a job now, so he can take care of us. That isn't really a problem. I guess… well, Keith, would you be interested in the dealership? I mean, you know so much more about cars than either Nathan or me. We don't need it."

"Well, I guess I'd have to think about that. But thank you for the offer, Haley. You're sure you don't just want help with it?"

"We really don't need it, Keith. Let me know what you decide. No rush."

"But what about the club?" Brooke had one thing on her mind. She wanted to throw her friends a party. It had been so long since she'd been to a good one.

"I think… I think that I'd like to keep the club," Haley said, realizing it herself as she said it. "I know it has a reputation and I know that much of it is deserved. But, I can't help it, I've come to like it there. I love performing and I think we could turn it into something really nice. When I was trying to distract Dan the other night, I was going to suggest that we host a night just for the boys going over soon. I would still really like to do that. They deserve a night out before they head over there, you know?"

"That's a great idea," Peyton said, feeling sad knowing that her husband would be one of those heading off to war soon. She would love for him to have a night where they didn't have to think about what was going to happen.

"Julian, if I do decide to keep the club, would you help me run it?"

Without hesitation, Julian answered, "Of course. It would be an honor to work for you."

"I don't know about that," Haley blushed.

"Okay, but the important question is can I throw a party there?"

"You know she's not going to leave you alone until you agree," Peyton told Haley.

"I know that," Haley smiled. "Brooke, with everything going on-"

"It's the perfect time to celebrate, HJS. You heard what Karen said before we started eating. After everything, we deserve this. We deserve a great night with our family and friends to celebrate and appreciate what we have."

"You know, I think she's right," Karen said. "I think it would be nice. If we don't use the club, you're welcome to use the café, Brooke."

"You can use the club, Brooke. Everything is happening so quickly. I need some time to think about what to do with the club. Go ahead and plan your party, Brooke."

"Our party," Brooke corrected. "It's for all of us. I wonder if Chris and the band would play. We could probably get some of the bartenders to work. I'm sure they all think they're out of jobs or that they work for Rachel," Brooke was now mostly speaking to herself.

"I'm almost afraid to ask," Peyton began, "but what about Rachel?"

"I don't think he left her much," Nathan admitted.

"He left her a letter. We don't know what's in it. She left rather abruptly. We were actually going to stop by the house after dinner to see how she is."

"Leave it to Dan. Do one good thing, but do a lousy thing with it. He really left his wife and son with nothing," Keith spewed.

"We'll help out, of course," Haley said. She did not reveal the doubts that she and Nathan had about Tommy's paternity. Helping Rachel and Tommy, though, was what she wanted to go to the house for. While she was so fortunate, so blessed, she imagined that Rachel must be worried about her future. She had wondered about that when she and Nathan first went to visit Rachel. She had seemed so unsure of everything. Haley didn't know what was in that letter than Dan wrote to her, but Rachel hadn't looked pleased about it. Rachel had gotten out of Mr. McDonald's office as quickly as she could. She also felt the need to explain things to Rachel. She wanted Rachel to know that she had no idea why Dan left her that money. She hadn't expected it at all.

"Well, Haley, I suppose this means you'll be cutting back your hours at the café," Karen said.

"Karen, I'll work as long as you need me."

"Haley, I can always find extra help. Please, don't worry about me. I want you to live your life and do what you need to do."

"That's what Nathan said, basically. I would like to keep working some of the time. I'm so used to working now that I don't think I'd like to stop completely."

"I understand that. You've learned to support yourself. It gives you independence." Karen knew exactly what Haley meant. She had done the same thing opening the café.

"I know you will still need some help, so I had an idea about that. Since I won't be keeping Dan's house, I was thinking that maybe Ida, his housekeeper could maybe start working at the café?"

"That's a great idea, Hales," Nathan beamed. "Ida's great, Karen."

"Well, have her come see me sometime soon and we'll talk."

* * *

><p>Nathan found himself getting better at going to that house. With Haley's help, he was realizing that it was just a house and nothing more. While the memories of what happened became more intense there, those memories were all his own. He had Haley at his side and being with her gave him the more intense feeling of hope. It amazed him just how strong his feelings for her were and how much she made him feel.<p>

Even though they now owned the house, just walking in didn't seem right. So, just as they had before, they knocked on the door and waited for Ida to answer it. She didn't keep them waiting long. She never did. She greeted them with hugs, but looked apprehensively up the stairs.

"She's been in a state ever since she came back this afternoon. She's smoking like a chimney and I heard her throw something earlier. That stopped when Tommy began to cry. I checked on them. She said things were fine, but her hands were shaking."

"We'll talk to her," Haley said. "Ida, there's something we need to talk to you about as well." The three went into the kitchen and Ida fixed them cups of hot cocoa as Haley and Nathan told her what had happened at the lawyer's office. Ida was shocked, but she kept her composure. It was something she had learned to do early on in her career as a domestic.

When Haley told her that they had a possible job for her, Ida had been touched. It was nice knowing that they had thought of her and that she wouldn't have to really go looking for another job. After sipping their cocoa, Haley and Nathan realized that they needed to speak to Rachel. That was their priority.

When they got to her bedroom door, Haley turned to Nathan. "Let me do this."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. Go ahead and catch up with Ida. I promise I'll be fine."

Nathan bent to give her a quick kiss before heading back downstairs. Haley didn't knock. She could hear quick, deliberate footsteps from inside. She quietly opened the door and saw Rachel striding across the room, a pile of clothes in her arms and a lit cigarette dangling from her lips. She hadn't noticed Haley walk in. In a crib near the bed, Tommy was sound asleep.

"Rachel." Haley spoke to alert the other woman of her presence. Rachel looked far less put together than she had earlier in the day. The black dress she had worn was slightly unbuttoned at the collar and the belt that had gone around her waist had been discarded. There were lose strands of hair surrounding her face and her makeup was smudged around her eyes. In that moment, it hit Haley that Rachel, like her, was only nineteen years-old. Rachel Gatina was now a nineteen year-old widow with a young son to take care of. Haley couldn't begin to imagine the position that Rachel was in. She couldn't imagine losing her own husband – she didn't want to – even if the circumstances of those marriages were so different. "I thought we should talk about what happened today."

"You mean when you got everything and he left me and my son with nothing," Rachel stated, her voice a bitter mumble.

Haley's fears were confirmed. Part of her had hoped that Dan had left her a check or something in that letter, but deep down she knew that he hadn't. She felt guilty.

"Rachel," Haley walked further into the room and noticed the note card which Rachel had crumpled on the nightstand. It was facing upward and Haley recognized the scrawl on the paper as Dan's. She had seen it on various things at the club and she would have recognized it anywhere. She took a few slight steps closer to the nightstand, hoping that Rachel wouldn't notice. She watched Rachel go into her closet and that's when Haley took a chance. She glanced down, reading the words Dan had written. They were his last words to his wife and Haley hoped that they would give her some insight into what was going on with Rachel now.

Haley tried to hide her reaction to the words Dan had written even though Rachel was still in the closet. Having read it, she walked to the closet and saw Rachel inside, trying to find something amidst a large pile of clothes.

"Rachel."

"You know, I know you. I know you well enough to know that you weren't sleeping with him." Rachel repeated her earlier sentiment. "Believe me, sleeping with him was no way to get any money out of him. What is it about you that made him give you everything?"

"I don't know," Haley answered meekly. "I really don't know, Rachel."

"What are you going to do with it? You and Nathan moving in here?"

"No. No, we won't be moving in here. We don't want the house."

Rachel stopped what she was doing and looked at Haley. Haley could see just how undone she had become since she last saw her. "A woman was murdered in this house and he always walked into it like everything was normal. This house is creepy."

Haley really couldn't argue with that. "Rachel, you don't have to leave. You and Tommy can stay here until you find somewhere to go. I don't want you to think you're being thrown out on the street. You're not."

"It's irritating. How nice you are all the time to everyone. It's irritating. Tommy and I won't be here long."

An idea came to Haley. "Rachel, if you're interested, I could sign the house over to you. I could sign it over to you and then you could take care of selling it. Then you'd have something."

"You would really do that?"

Haley nodded her head.

"Why?"

"Because this isn't fair. Nathan and I told you that we would be here for you if you needed us. If you need help, just let us know."

Haley thought she heard Rachel mumble, "I don't deserve the help."

"Try to relax, Rachel. You don't have to pack right now. Just be with your son. I'll talk to you later."

* * *

><p>Haley just put her arm through Nathan's as they walked out of the house and down the street. She rested her head against his arm, leaning into him as they walked.<p>

"I saw the letter Dan wrote her. She doesn't know that I saw it."

"What did he say?"

"He knew that Tommy wasn't his. The letter was cruel. He said that if she thought she and her bastard were getting a cent out of him that she was crazy. That's all it said. He knew that Tommy wasn't his. I suppose that's one of the things he meant when he said that I wasn't hiding anything."

"I wonder if he knew that Tommy was Cooper's. I mean, he already hated Cooper. This would just make him angrier."

"She was packing, Nathan. She was so unhinged. I, um, I did something. I told her that I would sign the house over to her."

"You did?"

"Yes. I know that we don't want it, so I hoped you wouldn't mind. I started by telling her that she didn't have to leave yet. Then I told her I would sign the house over to her and she could sell it if she wanted. I think if she takes it she will. She told me that she didn't like it there because of what happened to your mom."

"At least she felt something. Even if Dan didn't."

"So, you don't mind that I offered her the house?"

Nathan shrugged. "Nah. That place was never really a home, Hales. After everything that happened there… I mean, someone's gonna have to live there, right? And it might just help her. Was she upset with you? I mean, for getting everything."

Haley shook her head. "She again said she knew me well enough to know I wasn't sleeping with him."

"Ugh, gross. I don't want think about that, Hales. That was my ass of a father. With my wife?"

"Sorry. I'm not the one who mentioned it! You asked about Rachel."

"Now I'm sorry I asked."

Haley stopped him as they got to the door of the café. Wanting to take his mind off of what they had just mentioned, she put her hand to his face and traced his lips with her thumb. She leaned up and kissed him. Her tongue traced the seam of his lips and he immediately opened his mouth, plunging his tongue into her mouth and exploring every crevice. After several moments, they pulled apart, grateful that no one had walked by.

"We should probably head inside," he suggested.

Upstairs, he helped her with her coat. As they made their way behind the partition that separated what was their bedroom from the rest of the apartment, he pulled her to him and kissed her again.

"You're my home. Wherever you are, that's home. I just said out there that that house was never my home. It wasn't. I don't really think I had one until you came along. I love you, Hales."

She gave him a quick peck on the lips. "So, whatever house we find, that'll be home?"

"As long as you're there. The first night I spent here, the night before we got married, it was the first time I remembered in a long, long time where I slept well. I knew it before, I knew that you were home. That just made me realize it even more. That's why, when you refused to let me leave you, that's when I knew that I had to marry you."

"If we weren't already married I would marry you all over again for saying that. That night meant a lot to me too. That night meant so much. Having you next to me…"

"I'll always be next to you."

"This is kind of exciting, isn't it? Knowing we get to find a house soon. I mean, this little apartment has meant a lot."

"I do like it up here. It makes me think of you. But it is exciting. Our own home. It'll be my first real home."

"I'm going to work on making it as great for you as my home was for me growing up. I promise."

"As long as you're there."

"Always and forever."

They sat on the bed, side by side, removing their shoes.

"So, Rachel," Nathan began.

"I think maybe we need to talk to Cooper, Nathan. I think that maybe that might help us find out what's going on with her. If anything, maybe we can sort of let him know that she needs him. He might be keeping his distance since she's the Mayor's widow. But, she needs his help now. She looked so lost. I don't think she even really felt much for Dan, but she seemed like she had no idea what to do."

"Marrying Dan Scott never did anyone any good, but at least she made it out alive."

Haley leaned up and kissed his cheek.

"Rachel made it out alive; my mom didn't. Rachel has that and she still has Cooper. So, at least there's that. I don't want to talk about them anymore. I just want to be here with you." He kissed her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling them both down onto the mattress.

* * *

><p><strong>Notes:<strong> So, Haley gets everything and Rachel gets nothing. And, yes, Rachel's son's name is now Tommy Lee. Go ahead and laugh. Next chapter will be up in a few days. Thanks for reading and reviewing!


	28. A New Normal

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Notes:** Well, the mystery aspect gets some attention in this chapter, so I hope you enjoy that. Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, and Happy Holidays everyone!

* * *

><p>"It needs a new name," Haley told her husband. They were standing in front of the club. They hadn't been back there in over a week now. The last time they were there, Dan had said something to Nathan and Nathan had stood up for himself. Haley had been so proud of him, but was also so angry with Dan. The club now belonged to her. It belonged to both of them, really. The only people who had been in there since Dan died had been the sheriff and his deputies.<p>

Knowing that they had to go in sooner or later, Haley put the key in the lock, turned it, and opened the door. Opening the door to the club, she was immediately struck by how different it now was. Whenever she walked in while she worked there, it was always busy. Even if there weren't customers, there were still employees waiting and getting ready for customers. Now it was quiet and lonely.

They walked inside and didn't say a word. The club almost felt like a tomb and was making Haley rethink her decision to keep it open. It was also a mess. No one had cleaned up. Dan had been found while there were customers in the club and they had been rushed out as soon as the sheriff had arrived. From what Haley had been told by Lucas, no one had been let in since then. It was now closed and hadn't been open since Dan had died. However, none of the employees even knew if they had a job, so none of them had returned to do any work there. Haley didn't blame them for that. She wouldn't blame them if they didn't come back at all.

"Got any names in mind?" Nathan held onto her hand and they stood in the middle of the dance floor.

"This place is kind…" she trailed off. "Maybe it shouldn't be reopened. I mean, he died in here. Someone killed him in here."

Nathan shrugged. "I think it's your choice and I'm behind you no matter what. But, I also think that you like it here. I think that no matter what you decide, Brooke is throwing us a party here."

Haley nodded. "Might as well get this over with." She let go of Nathan's hand, but not before giving it a reassuring squeeze. "You don't have to go in there with me."

"Of course I'm going with you, Hales." He took her hand back in his and they went to Dan's office. They both stopped when they heard a noise come from inside. Nathan moved so that he was standing protectively in front of his wife. He slowly opened the door. The office was dark inside.

"Hello?"

Nathan turned on the lights and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw who was in there. He walked inside the office fully, knowing that he didn't have to protect Haley from who was inside.

"Cooper? What are you doing here?" Nathan had been suspicious of his uncle before and was now even more so.

Haley knew that she didn't have to worry about Cooper. Even though she and Nathan had their suspicions, Cooper would never hurt them. She walked in and went to the desk, where Cooper was. She saw him glancing back and forth between them and something on the floor.

"I, uh… I was just… well, I was looking for the deed for my car."

"Your car?" Nathan looked at his uncle skeptically.

"You know, Nate. You know your son of a bitch of a father took that car. I was supposed to buy it. It was supposed to be mine. With that car… Now that he's gone, I was sorta hoping to find the papers for it and take it. That car should be mine. That guy and I had a deal."

Nathan remembered. That was a big issue a few years ago. Dan had no interest in racing cars, but that car had been Cooper's dream. He and the man he was going to buy it from had worked on it together making it as good as it could possibly be. Then, just to be cruel, Dan offered the man triple the money and took it right out from under Cooper. Nathan couldn't blame Cooper for wanting the car, he just wasn't sure that Cooper was telling the truth.

"What are you two doing here?" Cooper wanted to get the subject off of him. He hoped his nephew would leave him alone now.

"We own the club," Haley answered.

"Haley owns the club," Nathan corrected her.

"We own the club. Dan's will was read yesterday."

"Isn't the funeral today?"

"We're not going," Nathan stated. "Dan left Haley everything, though."

"Everything? Even the house?"

Haley understood where Cooper was going with this and she understood why he was concerned. She saw this as her chance. "Yes, even the house. We're not keeping it, but we're letting Rachel stay as long as she needs to. She seems so lost now that Dan is gone. She seems really worried about what's going to happen to her and Tommy. I wish we could do more."

Cooper seemed to be processing what they were saying. "Word around town is that you two got hitched."

Despite the suspicion they felt for Cooper now, neither Nathan nor Haley could suppress the smiles that came to their faces. They nodded their heads, confirming what Cooper said.

"I told you she'd be good for you, Nate. I should get out of your hair."

"Cooper," Haley stopped him as he began walking away. "If we find the paperwork for the car, we'll let you know."

"Thank you, Haley."

"You'd do anything for her, right, Nate? You'd do anything for your family."

Nathan nodded, not sure of where Cooper was going with that question. "Cooper," Nathan began, "what happened here…"

"You know I felt about your old man."

"Don't call him that."

Cooper shrugged. "Couldn't have happened to a better guy." With that, Cooper turned and left. As soon as he was gone, Haley went to the spot where he'd been looking. She felt around on the floor, trying to see what it was when a gleam from the light bounced off of the wall, drawing her attention. She held up an earring for Nathan to see.

"Cooper was looking at this," she said. Nathan stepped closer and took the earring in his hand. He didn't recognize it and he didn't know much about jewelry, but he thought it looked nice.

"It looks like it's nice. Is it?"

Haley chuckled at her husband's obliviousness to jewelry. "It's a pretty expensive piece."

"So, it wouldn't belong to any of the cigarette girls?"

"No. No, they wouldn't be able to afford this. Not many of our customers would either."

"Most of the customers are men, anyway."

"Right. Nathan, the only woman who ever really came into Dan's office was Rachel. So, it must be hers. But, why was Cooper looking at it?"

"I wonder why the deputies didn't find this when they were here. Lucas said they went through the place looking for evidence."

"Do you think they went through his desk? I mean, they were looking for clues about who killed him. They weren't investigating him like we were trying to do," Haley pointed out.

"I don't know. Lucas didn't mention it. I guess it's up to us now." Nathan left Haley in the office, leaving her wondering where he went. When he returned, he was carrying two of the chairs, which he set at Dan's desk, moving his chair out of the way. "I may not have wanted a thing to do with him, but he died in that chair. I kinda want to get it over with, if you don't mind."

"Of course," Haley nodded, then took a seat next to him. They began rifling through the papers on his desk. There weren't many and they all had to do with business for the club. Haley paid close attention, knowing that she would need to if she was going to be running the place.

"These seem like lists of suppliers," Nathan observed. "Invoices and stuff."

Haley had picked up a leather bound ledger and began looking through it. "This is more thorough. It includes names and phone numbers and their rates. I'm going to take this with me. I'm going to have to call these people."

After a while of going through all of the papers in Dan's desk, Nathan stood up to stretch. He looked and saw a record player against the wall and a small smile tugged at his lips. Going over to it, he began to go through the records until he found one that he thought might be good. He began the record and went back to Haley. She was so focused on what she was doing. She'd been pouring over Dan's records in an attempt to learn everything she could about running the club and hadn't noticed the music.

Gently, Nathan placed a hand on her elbow and urged her to stand, which she did after putting down the papers she was looking at.

"Take a break," he told her. He pulled her into his arms and put one hand on her waist and took the other in his hand. "Now, I won't be very good at this. But, you and me, we've never danced, Hales. Whenever we've been around music, it's been here and we've been working. So, dance with me, Mrs. Scott."

"In Dan's office?" She quirked an eyebrow.

"It's your office now. Besides, I know it's a little childish, but I feel like throwing in his face how happy we are. He couldn't stop us. He's got no hold on me. It feels good."

"I'm glad. You're free, Nathan. You're free of him. I love you." She began to sway to the music while Nathan shuffled his feet. He was awkward while dancing and she could sense that he was self-conscious because of his limp. But, still, he danced with her. He wanted to do this with her and it made her heart swell with love. "Just shuffle your feet," she told him. She leaned into him, resting her head against his chest. "Thank you for being here with me. Thank you for doing this with me."

"You know I always will be."

"I do know that. And thank you for dancing with me."

"I wish I was better at it."

"You're doing just fine."

"What time do you have to meet Brooke and Peyton?"

Haley had nearly forgotten that she was meeting them at Peyton and Lucas's. It had been a while since they'd had the chance to relax and just hang out. Haley looked at the clock on Dan's wall while Nathan went to turn off the record. He looked to the plant in the dark corner of the room and noticed something that he had never seen before.

"Hales, where does this door go?"

"I don't know. I just always assumed it was a closet. He's always had that plant in front of it."

"I never noticed it before." Nathan hesitated, but then moved the plant away from the door. He put his hand on the cool metal knob and looked at Haley. She gave him a nod in encouragement. He opened it and squinted as the sun came streaming into the otherwise darkly lit office.

"Nathan… Lucas said that no one was seen coming in or out of Dan's office that night. This is it. This is how they came in. How did the Sheriff miss this? He can't possibly be this stupid."

"I don't know. He let Dan buy him off."

"Maybe they noticed it and just didn't think anything of it? I mean, it's just a door. It doesn't tell us who came through it."

"That earring might."

Haley nodded her head as Nathan put the earring in his pocket.

"We'd better get going so that you're not late. We'll take some of these papers with us so we can learn how to run a nightclub." He smiled at her. Even though they were investigating Dan's murder and had ended up with a very cryptic encounter with Cooper, he still had reason to smile. For one thing, he was just glad that had hadn't stepped on Haley's toes while dancing with her.

"Let's walk out the back way, Nathan. Through that door."

"Why?"

"I don't know, really. I think… I just have a feeling."

Nathan shrugged, fine with going along with his wife's suggestion. When they stepped outside, Haley stopped in front of Nathan. A folder with papers was tucked underneath his arm. She reached to his neck and began to readjust his scarf, wanting him to stay warm.

"You start a new job on Monday. We wouldn't want you getting sick," she informed him.

He leaned down and left a small kiss on her lips.

A few blocks away from the club they stopped when they saw Mrs. Crowley and Mrs. Hannon on the porch of the latter's house.

Politely, Haley greeted them, "Hello, Mrs. Crowley. Mrs. Hannon."

"Oh, hello, Mr. and Mrs. Scott." There was something disapproving about Mrs. Crowley's tone. "Coming from the club?"

"How did you know?"

"Oh, we used to see your father coming in this direction, Nathan," Mrs. Hannon answered. "We could always tell he was coming from the club and heading down to City Hall."

"He came this way?"

"We just said that, young man," Mrs. Crowley said. "He's really the only one who leaves this way, though. Except for the night he died. That night, his wife came through."

"Oh, she looked a state, didn't she?" Mrs. Hannon turned to her friend, almost as if she was having a conversation without Nathan and Haley there as well.

"She didn't look well?" Haley took a few steps closer to the porch where Mrs. Hannon and Mrs. Crowley stood. Haley felt like they were looking down on her and Nathan.

"She was rushing through, but she kept stumbling over her own feet. Her hair was a mess, too. She's normally such a put together young lady."

"She's been through a lot these past few days," Haley said. "We'd better get going. It was nice seeing you ladies." Haley linked her arm through Nathan's and urged them on.

"I think we know who that earring belongs to," she said once they were out of earshot of the two older women.

"You really think so?"

Haley nodded her head. "I know you hate going there, but I think we should go back to the house. One of us can distract Rachel while the other searches her room for the matching earring."

"You might be right," Nathan admitted. He really hoped they'd be done with that house soon. At least he had Haley with him to go there. "Ida might help. I don't think she'd ask too many questions."

"We should go tonight. As soon as possible. Nathan, could you do something for me?"

"Anything."

"See if you can get Lucas's car. It's cold walking back and forth at night."

Nathan chuckled a little. "We'll just borrow one from the dealership."

"We can do that?"

"I used to do it all the time, Hales. No one ever notices that they're gone. We'll just borrow one for a little bit. Besides, you're the owner now."

"I hadn't really thought of that."

* * *

><p>Lunch with Brooke and Peyton had begun awkwardly. Haley had been distracted trying to figure out how to best distract Rachel while searching through her jewelry. Brooke and Peyton had noticed and when they said something, Haley tried to stop thinking about what she and Nathan would be doing that evening.<p>

It had been a while since the three women had really gotten a chance to sit and talk. So much had been going on. They hadn't had the chance to discuss what happened with Keith or Dan, but they didn't want to. They also didn't want to talk about the fact that very soon Lucas would be heading off to war. Almost immediately, Brooke began peppering Haley with questions about her marriage. At first, Haley had dodged the questions. Peyton had helped by turning the subject to Julian. Julian and Brooke had gotten much closer and Brooke reluctantly admitted that she might now be in love with him. Both Peyton and Haley agreed that Julian was definitely in love with Brooke.

The problem for Brooke was her insecurities. She didn't feel like she deserved Julian. Her friends were quick to tell her just how wrong she was. She told them that she felt like she had nothing to offer him. They quickly told her that she was more than enough for him and reminded her that Julian lit up when he was around her.

They also discussed the fact that Brooke was now permanently living with Lucas and Peyton. It was a perfect solution. Karen and Keith deserved their time together with Lily without having Brooke there. Karen had insisted that Brooke could stay and Brooke knew that she meant it. Still, Brooke felt better about leaving. Now, with Lucas leaving soon, Peyton would be in the house by herself. With Brooke there, she wouldn't be alone. The timing had worked out wonderfully.

As long as she was able to, Haley kept the conversation away from her. It wasn't that she didn't want to talk about Nathan. She just felt that what they had was very much theirs. It was private. She also had never enjoyed drawing attention to herself. She imagined that this was a result of being the youngest of seven. She had never felt forgotten growing up in that crowded house. She was just happy to let her older siblings take the spotlight. This especially happened when it came to Taylor, who loved attention from everyone and seemed to especially love it when the attention was drawn away from her baby sister.

"Where exactly is your attention today, Tutor Wife?"

"Oh, sorry, Brooke. I was just thinking about Nathan. He starts his new job on Monday and I know he'll do well, but I am still a little nervous for him," Haley lied a little.

Peyton brushed off Haley's concerns with a wave of her hand. "Haley, he's going to be fine. You both are. You two had some rotten luck for a while, but now it seems like everything is turning to gold."

"That's the truth," Brooke agreed. "I still want to hear all about your wedding. I know you don't want to talk about it in front of, well, everyone, but I want to hear about this, Haley! I want to hear how he proposed and how you two got married and what did you wear?"

Haley lowered her head and chuckled. She should have known that she wouldn't be able to avoid this. She felt butterflies in her stomach and she felt her cheeks become warmer as she blushed as she remembered that day less than a week earlier. The whirlwind of everything going on was astounding to her and she hoped that they would get a breather soon and a chance to relax.

As much time as she and Nathan had spent together since their marriage, she wanted more. She wondered if that was selfish of her. They had gotten married and had plenty of little moments where they could just be together, but they hadn't been able to do that without something else hanging over their heads. Back in the club, they had danced and it had been lovely. But, it hadn't lasted. They still had somewhere to be and something to do. They were now deeper into the mystery of who killed Dan Scott and Haley believed that they wouldn't get that chance to relax until after that mystery was solved. She only hoped that they could do it.

"I wore the dress that you'd made me a while back."

Brooke's mouth dropped open. "The buttons?"

Haley nodded.

"HALEY!" Brooke was whining and protesting now.

"What's wrong? It's a beautiful dress."

"I know that! I wanted to see how it looked on you! I wanted to see it with your hair all done up and I'll bet you were so happy that you were smiling and you looked even more stunning. Why did you two have to elope anyway? Sure, it's romantic and you had to escape Dan, but what about the rest of us who wanted to see you two happy for once?"

Haley felt guilty. She hadn't thought about that fact that their friends may have wanted to see them get to that point of happiness. Brooke had been there while she dealt with the loss of both parents and her best friend's continued absence. Really, if there were two people she wished could have been there, besides her parents, it would have been Brooke and Karen. The guilt settled into Haley's stomach.

"What Brooke means to say is that she completely understands why you two did this in secrecy. Given the fact that just the night before Dan had Nathan beaten for not staying away from you, Brooke understands that you couldn't advertise that you two were getting married. I'm sure our dear friend is also excited that you two are this happy together and that you didn't let Dan stop you."

Brooke's face fell. "I did mean all of that. I'm sorry, Haley. I know why you two did it the way that you did. And I am right in the middle of planning a wonderful party for you two so that we can all celebrate with you. I've already cornered Chris Keller and blackmailed him into performing-."

"Wait, what? Blackmail? Brooke, what did you say to Chris?" Haley looked alarmed, knowing that she would have to go to Chris to see if he would still play now that she owned the club.

"Oh, it's nothing big. Just a little gossip about him and a certain Claire Young. Don't you worry yourself about it. Now, back to talking about your wedding to your dream fella."

"The minister and his wife took a picture after the ceremony. They're going to send it to us," Haley revealed, hoping that it would appease Brooke.

"There's a picture? This is wonderful! Oh, now you'll have something to show your children and your grandchildren!"

Haley bit her lip. She hadn't considered that.

"What's wrong?" Peyton poured herself another cup of coffee.

"Our children are going to see that picture. They're going to see the bruises on his face and wonder why their father was beaten up right before his wedding. What am I supposed to tell them?"

"Well," Peyton set her coffee cup down and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees, "you won't be telling them alone. You'll have Nathan there with you to explain it. You'll explain that sometimes there are bad people in the world and that one of them didn't want you two together. But, you'll get to tell them there was a happy ending and that their being there is proof of that. True love won out."

"Damn, P. Sawyer," Brooke said, impressed. "That was good."

Haley smiled and nodded. True love did win out. She would be able to tell their children that. She would have Nathan there with her to do it. He would always be there for her and with her.

"How did he propose? How was the wedding? How was the wedding night? When can we expect a little Nathan or a little Haley?"

"Brooke, I love you, but slow down," Haley requested. "It's been less than a week and so much has happened."

"Okay, I understand. So, how did he propose?"

"He got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. He said a lot of beautiful things and I could see that he never meant anything more than he meant what he was saying to me. I said yes and that I wanted to marry him right away. So, we got ready and we drove to Kill Devil Hills. We got married on the beach, he put the ring on my finger, and we drove back."

"That's all I'm going to get out of you, isn't it?"

"Sorry, Brooke."

"No, it's all right. You two keep that to yourselves. You take a breather and let everything settle and get used to being married. But, I can't wait for you two to have children. I know you're going to be wonderful at it."

"Thank you, Brooke. But, first things first." The first thing would be to see Rachel and look for her other earring. That would be happening that night. It was weighing heavily on Haley's mind. As she walked back to the café, where she would meet Nathan, she went over everything that they knew about the night Dan died and the events surrounding it.

The more she thought about it, the more there was really only one explanation that made sense. It made sense and that gave her a sick feeling in her stomach. She didn't want to be right about this. If she was right, that meant… She wouldn't think about it now. She would wait until she was with Nathan. Then, she could tell him what she was thinking and find out what he was thinking.

* * *

><p>Nathan was sitting at the counter in the café with a cup of coffee and a sandwich in front of him. After he had dropped Haley off at Peyton's, he had walked for a while. He walked and he thought. He pieced together everything that they knew about what happened. He tried looking at it from every angle. The more he thought, the more he wished that it was Monday. On Monday, he would be at work. He could begin his new job and think about that instead of thinking about who murdered Dan Scott. The problem was that now that he had been thinking, he was pretty sure that he knew who did it.<p>

He was anxious as he waited for Haley to return. He wanted to tell her everything that he was thinking. He took bites of his sandwich sporadically. His movements were almost mechanical since he was so busy thinking about everything that had happened. He couldn't wait for things to get back to normal.

As he thought of that, he realized that he wasn't sure what normal was. He hadn't had normal in years and the normal he'd had before wasn't one he wanted to go back to. The normal that he wanted was with Haley. With the two of them living their life together. Both of them would have jobs, hopefully both at the school. He let his mind wander and wondered if she eventually taught at the school if she would want to have lunch with him every day. The thought was nice and that's where his mind was when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He knew immediately who it was and he turned to face her.

"Nice visit?"

She nodded. "Brooke may be going overboard with planning our party."

Nathan shrugged. "Let her. Everyone's right. We deserve to celebrate."

"She may make you wear a tux."

"We have to draw the line somewhere, Hales. We can't let Brooke go overboard."

Haley laughed and reached for the sandwich Karen had made him, taking a bite. She took a look around and noticed that the lunch rush had ended and things were quiet.

"You helped Karen, didn't you?"

Again, Nathan shrugged. "It's not a big deal."

Haley reached up and kissed him, her hand lingering on his cheek. "Upstairs?"

Nathan nodded and picked up his plate. He carried it to the kitchen and was about to begin cleaning it when Karen snatched it from his hands and did it herself. With a nod of her head, she sent the young couple off.

As soon as they were in their apartment, Nathan's lips were on Haley's and he was holding her close, pressing her back against the door. She let herself get lost in his kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck. She moaned into his mouth and the sound made her abruptly stop. The haze of his kisses lifted and she remembered what it was she wanted to talk to him about. With some difficulty, she pulled away from his embrace.

"Nathan, we need to talk about Dan."

Nathan's body went stiff. "Way to ruin the mood, Hales."

"I'm serious. I was thinking about this the entire time I walked home." She began taking her coat off, hanging it on the rack and going to sit at their small kitchen table.

Nathan sat with her and folded his hands on the table top. "I've been thinking about it too. Basically, the whole time that you were with Brooke and Peyton. I think that talking to Cooper today…"

"It shed a lot of light on things," Haley finished for him. "I think so too. Ever since, it's really all I've been thinking about. Nathan…"

"I know. It's a lot. But, Hales, I think I know who did it."

Her eyes went wide. "I think I do too. I don't want to believe it, but I think I know, Nathan."

He moved his chair closer to hers. He almost didn't want to ask who she thought did it. If she thought the same person did it that he thought did it, he was sure they had to be right. He was already fairly certain that they were right.

"So, what should we do?" He looked up at her, hoping for some guidance. He felt so lost about this.

"I think we have to go there, Nathan. As soon as possible. If we don't, we might never get the chance. We've got to do this for your mother."

He nodded and held her hand in his. "I just want normal," he said. "I want a new normal, not the one I had before with my parents. I want to go to work. I want to have dinner with you every night, I want to make love to you every night, and fall asleep holding you every night. I want everything with Dan to be over with. I want people to know what he did to my mother. I want people to know that he was the kind of man who could drive someone to doing something like this. I want them to know that he wasn't the perfect mayor and family man they all believed he was. I want them to know what he did to her and what kind of hell he made her live through."

"Nathan, they will. We'll do this and people will know. Then, we can have our normal. I like the sound of that – our new normal. You and me, together, our life together. I promise you that we will have that."

"I know we will. I'm sorry that this happened after we got married. I'm sorry that we haven't had the chance to just relax and be married to each other."

"I'm not sorry, Nathan. I'm not sorry and I don't regret anything. You and me, okay? Our first week of marriage has been a little eventful. If we're right, though, that'll end tonight. You and I can come home and we can rest and just be together with nothing else looming over our heads."

"That sounds nice."

"It will be nice. But, first things first. We have business to do tonight."

He nodded and looked at her. Her chair was near the window and the afternoon sunlight coming in framed her beautifully, making it look as if she had a halo. He knew that she would always be there to support him. He knew it as strongly as he knew that he loved her and she loved him.

Now, they had to sit and wait. Haley wasn't sure how she felt about waiting. On the one hand, she was dreading what they had to do. On the other hand, she wanted to get it over with. She and Nathan sat at their table in their apartment and they talked. They went over everything that they knew and realized that they both believed that the same person had been responsible for Dan's death. They each gave their reasons for why they believed it and they both were sure that they were right. It made sense.

Quietly, and avoiding Karen on their way out, they made their way through town. They were used to making quiet conversation on their walks, but this time they were silent. They were both bracing themselves for what they were about to do. It was a big deal to accuse someone of murder. Briefly, they mentioned maybe going to the police, but if they were right about the motive, they didn't want to do that. This was something that they were doing themselves and that was never more obvious as they stood at that door, prepared to do it.

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> Well, all will be revealed in the next chapter. I really do appreciate you sticking with me through this story. I'll post the next chapter in a few days. Then, I'll start getting my new story ready to post.


	29. Safe and Complete

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Note:** Last chapter until the epilogue. I hope you enjoy it. :) I'm not 100% happy with it.

* * *

><p>A trail of clothes led from the sofa to the bed. It began with shoes and Nathan's vest and was followed by his shirt and trousers, finally ending with Haley's slip and stockings. He hovered above her, his hands softly caressing her skin, taking in every inch of her. Her moans were like music to his ears. She was responding to every touch, encouraging him further. This was their third time since they'd gotten home that evening and this time was lasting longer than the other two. She could tell that he was taking his time with her and she was savoring every moment of it.<p>

It had begun when they walked into their apartment. Without saying a word, Nathan turned Haley to him after they'd closed the door. His lips were on hers in a matter of seconds and she didn't even try to resist. It didn't cross her mind to resist. They spent long moments just kissing and exploring each other's mouths. When he began to undress her, she helped him along. They tumbled together to their bed, which was where they were now.

Haley's back arched into Nathan as in one last powerful stroke, they came together. He spilled everything inside of her and she was surprised her back didn't crack with the power of her climax and how much her back arched. They both collapsed in a heap on the bed, their breathing ragged. They still clung to each other, their skin covered in a thin layer of sweat.

They hadn't said anything in the intervals between making love. They just held each other until they would begin kissing and touching and were making love again. The only words uttered since they walked in the door were, "I love you."

Haley ran her hands down his back and back up again, running her fingers through his hair. It was already in disarray from where she'd grabbed onto it while they'd been making love. The night had been intense in more ways than one. She had found in the past week that she didn't mind having his whole weight on top of her after they'd made love. There was something so strong and so powerful about having him on top of her. She felt safe and complete.

She pushed him away slightly, though, to look into his eyes. His lids were heavy, but he looked at her, his blue eyes burning into her brown. He was still inside of her, though now soft. He pulled out, but kept her next to him. She draped herself over his chest, her legs tangled with his. She just watched him as he held her and ran one hand through her tangled, long hair.

"You know I have to ask," she said to him. She didn't want to break the peace that they had right now, but she had to.

"I know you do. I'm okay, Hales. Really. I think we did the right thing. It's the right thing for everyone, really."

"I'm glad you think so. What do you think will happen?"

"I don't know." Nathan rubbed his hand over his face. He realized now that he was tired. It had been such a long day and after everything that had gone in the past few years he was now able to rest. He was now able to live his own life with nothing weighing on his shoulders. "I don't know."

_**Several Hours Earlier**_

Knowing what they were about to do, Nathan and Haley decided to forgo formalities. Instead of knocking on the door and waiting for someone to answer, they just walked in. Both tightened their hold on the other as they stepped into the foyer. The house was eerily quiet downstairs. It was completely dark except for the light coming from the kitchen. Somehow, they knew that they would find who they were looking for upstairs.

They climbed the stairs with a singular purpose. They both looked in the direction of the bedroom door and saw a sliver of light coming from underneath it. Muffled voices could be heard from inside. Haley and Nathan shared a look. Their faces were hidden by the darkness, the only light now coming from the moon streaming through the window. There was a perfect understanding. With Nathan's free hand, he turned the door knob and walked in.

What they were doing wouldn't work with an announcement. They couldn't warn anyone of their presence. It would work better with the element of surprise. It also didn't give them a chance to back out of their plan.

They could see the surprise when they walked in the room. They all stopped in their tracks and stared.

"What are you doing here?"

"We need to talk to you," Nathan said. "Both of you."

"Nathan, this isn't…," Cooper stumbled over his words. He looked at Rachel, who was holding Tommy.

Nathan noticed how nervous his uncle and his step-mother looked. Seeing them look like that, he knew that he had nothing to worry about and nothing to fear. He and Haley would be fine. He turned to her and nodded and she shut the door behind them.

"We know," Nathan began, "that Tommy is your son."

"Well," Rachel started to say.

"How did you figure it out?" Cooper asked. If Nathan said that he knew, he wasn't going to deny it. He was done denying his son now that Dan Scott was no longer an issue. He stepped closer to Rachel and placed a large, strong hand on the back of Tommy's head.

"We noticed you two looking at each other at the club," Haley answered.

"And then I heard you two talking here. It wasn't hard to put the pieces together."

"You're smarter than your father gave you credit for," Rachel commented. "What are you two going to do now?"

Nathan paused and took off his hat, shoving it into his back pocket. "We're not here about that. Not really, I guess." He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the earring that he and Haley had found at the club earlier. He held it between his thumb and index finger. "You were looking for this earlier, weren't you, Cooper? You told us that you were looking for the papers for the car, but you kept looking at this. Haley noticed it."

"It's too expensive for any of us girls at the club to afford," Haley informed them. "It's beautiful, Rachel. You wouldn't want to lose it."

Haley watched the color drain from Rachel's face and felt sorry for her. She looked to Cooper and saw his shoulders tense.

"You left it there the night he died," Haley added.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I wasn't there that night."

"Yes you were, Rachel. Mrs. Hannon and Mrs. Crowley saw you leaving. They said… well, they said that you didn't look quite right."

"Those two old busy bodies. They never know what they're talking about. You should have heard the things they were saying about you two when you started spending time together. They'll tell just about anyone who will listen that they're sure that you're pregnant."

Momentarily, Haley was offended that the two women would think that of her. Then, she remembered what they were there for and she pushed it aside.

"Rachel, it's…"

"It's okay," Nathan said. "We're pretty sure we know what happened. We know what happened that night and before it."

"Before it?"

"Nate, be careful," Cooper told him. "Whatever you think you know, you don't."

Nathan nodded. He looked his uncle square in the eye. "I think that Dan beat her. I think he hit her before and then he hit her again the night he died. I think she killed him. I'm sure of it."

Cooper stepped in front of Rachel and Tommy protectively. He vehemently shook his head and his eyes narrowed.

"No. No, she didn't. Rachel didn't kill anyone. I did it. After everything he's pulled over the years, I was done with it. He did hit her. That was the last straw. I shot him."

"You asked Nathan if he'd do anything for his family," Haley reminded Cooper. "You asked him that earlier today when we found you searching Dan's office. That's what you're doing, Cooper. You're protecting your family."

"Mrs. Hannon and Mrs. Crowley said that Rachel wasn't looking like herself that night. They said that her hair was messed up and she was tripping. She was there that night; you weren't. You would have gone there to protect her, but I don't think you went there."

Nathan looked at them. They were silent. He thought he noticed that Rachel was holding onto Tommy tighter than she was before. He moved to the bench at the end of the bed and took a seat. Haley followed, but she didn't sit. She put her arm around Nathan's shoulders.

"Ever since I came back, I've been trying to find a way to get rid of Dan. Lucas and me, we were trying to get him in prison. He deserved to be there. He was a miserable bastard of a man. The only reason I took the job at the club was to get close to him and to try and find a way to get rid of him once and for all. The reason I was so mean to Haley at first was because I was trying to protect her from what I was doing.

"He was involved in bootlegging. We found that out, but we couldn't get evidence legally and no one would have investigated him in this town. He had the sheriff in his pocket; you know what.

"You're not the first wife he hit, Rachel. You're not the first wife he treated like shit. He made my mom's life hell and I didn't do anything about it. The only thing I could do was make sure he paid after she was gone. See, you got off better than she did, Rachel. He hit you and I'm sorry for that. But he killed her."

Nathan stopped talking and looked at Cooper instead of Rachel. Cooper wasn't aware of this fact and he wasn't sure how his uncle was going to react. Cooper looked absolutely dumbstruck.

"I watched it happen," Nathan continued. "I was on the stairs and I saw him yell at Uncle Keith and my mom. Then, I saw him shoot them both. He killed her in cold blood and then he went on with his life as if nothing happened. He married and started a new family in the same house where she died. You thought it was uncomfortable being in that living room where she died, Rachel? It's more uncomfortable knowing that he did it and that he got away with it.

"So, I understand it. You had to escape. He didn't deserve to live."

Rachel sunk into the chair at her vanity and Cooper just stayed rooted in his spot. "He hit me. I went to the club to try to smooth things over with him. I knew I was going to leave, I just… I just wanted to see if I could get some money out of him before I left. I figured it would help us get settled. All three of us.

"He was angry when I got there. I think he was angry before I got there. He'd been drinking and when I went to him, he grabbed me. He hit me. So, I pulled the gun from his desk drawer. I knew it was there. He didn't see me grabbing it. His hands were around my throat. I backed away and he laughed at me. He knew the truth about Tommy and he laughed. He was about to get up to come after me again, so I shot him.

"I didn't mean to do it. I didn't plan on killing him. He was just coming after me. I… I was afraid. I didn't know he'd killed your mom, Nathan."

"He killed her? He killed Deb?" Cooper finally spoke, but it was just above a whisper. "I saw him that day. I knew she was there and she'd been drinking, but I didn't go up to see her. I didn't know. You saw him kill her."

"What are you two going to do?" Rachel asked, placing a soft kiss on Tommy's head.

"What were you planning to do if we hadn't come here?" Haley countered.

"We were packing up to leave," Cooper indicated to the bags on the bed with Rachel and Tommy's things strewn about.

"Then pack up and leave," Nathan told them. "I just don't want to live with this anymore. I want to move on with my life. I want to spend my days with my wife without Dan Scott lurking around every corner. First it was him and then it was his death. I'm done with him. I understand. I wanted everyone to know what he did to her and they will. I was angry that someone killed him before I could avenge her. I was angry that I didn't get the chance. Now I guess I'm just relieved that he didn't get a chance to kill someone else. So, leave. Move on with your life and raise Tommy. Move on with your life, and we'll move on with ours."

"You're going to just let us go? Just like that?" Cooper knew he shouldn't be skeptical and that he could take his nephew at his word, but it still seemed too good to be true.

"Tommy has a chance for a great father. It's something I never got. Go. Just, don't waste your life together."

"You both agree to this?"

Haley nodded. "We think it's what's best."

"I can't believe he killed her…" Cooper was still in shock over the news of how exactly his sister died. "I always was mad at him for not working harder to find her killer. I thought he just didn't care."

"He cared to not get caught."

"If I'd have known he did that… I would have killed the bastard years ago," Cooper declared, his teeth clenched together.

"Don't dwell on it, Cooper. He's gone and it's over. I know that's easier for me to say. I only met your sister once. But, I know that she cared about the people she loved and wouldn't want them wasting any energy on Dan Scott and especially not now that he's dead."

Cooper nodded and stood closer to Rachel, placing a hand on her shoulder. "She wouldn't want that. She wouldn't want us wasting time on him."

"You're really going to just let me leave town without saying anything to anyone?" Rachel didn't have as much experience with Nathan and Haley as Cooper did and though he seemed to trust them, she wasn't so sure.

"We are, Rachel," Nathan assured her.

"We're done with this," Haley added.

"Good luck with everything," Nathan told them both, standing and taking Haley's hand. No one said a single word. Nathan and Haley left Cooper and Rachel upstairs with Tommy feeling free. Their entire trip back to the café had been silent. They were mainly silent until they were in each other's arms after making love.

"We did the right thing and it's over," Nathan said, leaning in to kiss Haley. "Now, our life can really begin. It feels good, you know? Not having Dan to deal with anymore feels great."

"I just want you to be sure, Nathan. I don't want you living a life where you regret anything. I want to be sure that you're truly ready to move on from all of this."

"I am ready, Hales. I am so ready for this. I've been ready to let go of this and live my life for so long. I've been even more ready for it since I met you and realized I knew I was gonna spend my life with you. So, don't worry about me, Hales. You and me are gonna be just fine."

"I'm always going to worry about you, Nathan. I love you. Worrying comes with the territory."

"God, I love you. How did I get this lucky?"

"It helps that you're so damn handsome," Haley quipped.

Nathan nuzzled his nose to her neck and inhaled her scent. He began kissing her collarbone, leaving feather light kisses on her skin. She responded immediately and moved her body closer to his, wrapping herself around him, her arm snaking around his neck to bring his lips closer to her.

"It's late," Haley told him.

Nathan mumbled something incoherent, but didn't stop kissing her. His hand began to wander and he grabbed her left breast, massaging it.

As Haley moaned she again remembered that it was Sunday night. "It's late, Nathan. It's late and you have your first day of work tomorrow. I don't want to ruin the mood. You know I love you and I would love to make love to you again. But, we've had a big day."

"Ugh. Why do we even have school this week? It's almost Christmas. It makes no sense."

Haley giggled. She had to admit that Nathan did have a point. Still, his attitude toward school was much the same as it had been back in high school. She knew even then that he didn't love school and she knew it as well from speaking to him. She was the exact opposite. Haley was in her element in school.

"I know, baby. But you still have to go to work tomorrow. You need your rest for that."

"You're right," Nathan said, laying next to her and pulling her close so that her back was pressed firmly against his chest. "I love you, Haley Scott. I know what you're going to say. You're going to say that you'll always be here for me and I don't have to thank you for that because you're my wife. But I do have to thank you, Hales. Without you… I couldn't have done any of this with Dan and letting him go. You gave me something to believe in besides revenge. You gave me something good in life. Something great in life. Thank you. I love you."

Haley shifted so that she was facing him. Tears were glistening in her eyes, threatening to spill. Instead of saying what he knew she would say, what was on the tip of her tongue, she kissed him. She kissed him until they were both out of breath. They pulled apart and each closed their eyes and drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Nathan awoke to the smell of coffee and breakfast awaiting him. When he opened his eyes, he found his wife next to him on their bed with a tray of food and a small box next to the tray.<p>

"Morning," she ran a hand down his face. His eyes were still heavy with sleep, but he smiled at her. He hadn't expected this, but Haley was full of surprises and all of them were good.

"What's this?"

"Well, I woke up early."

"After I kept you up last night?" Nathan smirked.

"Yes. After you kept me up last night," she blushed. "I woke up early and in honor of your first day of your new job – your new career – I went downstairs and made you breakfast. I also snuck away yesterday and I got you something."

"You didn't have to get me anything, Hales."

"I know. I wanted to. This is a big deal for you. I know that you never thought you'd be a part of baseball again and now you have that chance. I also know that it wasn't what you originally intended or dreamed of. You still have a chance to make a real difference in the game, though. I'm already so proud of you, Nathan. Not just for getting the job, but for your strength. I know you were hiding from the game for so long. Now, you're not just facing it. You're making it part of your life again. That takes courage.

"I also think it takes courage to let go of this thing with Dan. So, I'm also proud of you for doing that. Being able to overcome those things, it's just part of what makes you so amazing and what makes me so happy that I married you and decided to spend my life with you."

Nathan lowered his head. "Haley, you can't talk to me like that. You talk to me like that, this great breakfast you made is gonna go to waste, because I'm just going to set it on the floor, take you in my arms, make love to you for hours, and then I'll miss my first day of work."

Haley laughed. "I'd better stop talking to you like that then. You're horrible, Nathan Scott. Go to work, earn some money, and prove yourself," she said, struggling to keep a straight face.

"I think I liked it the other way better."

"Aww, I'm sorry, Nathan."

"No, it's fine. We can joke about that. It's nice to joke about that." He scooted so that he was sitting up against the headboard. He reached for the discarded undershirt that he had worn the night before, pulling it over his head. He looked down at the tray of food. "There's enough for two here, Hales."

"I know. I thought I'd join you," she said, scooting into bed next to him, wrapping her robe around her. She picked up a slice of bacon. "Are you going to open your present?"

"Of course," he said, picking up the box, but not taking his eyes from hers. He tore the ribbon from the box carelessly and opened it. Finally, he looked down at the contents of the box. Inside was a blue necktie. It was already knotted for him.

"The color, it made me think of you. Your eyes. Sometimes, your eyes get a shade of blue that's a lot like that. I thought you might like to wear it today. I don't think you need me to wish you good luck. I just thought you might like it. And you'll definitely look handsome in it."

"I love it. I'll wear it today, Hales. Thank you." He leaned over and gave her a quick peck on the cheek before digging into breakfast.

Haley hurried him out of the apartment after she finished helping him get ready. By the time he left, his hair was neatly combed, his tie was tied perfectly, and he was ready to go. He had tried to help Haley set up the café. She was still working there and wouldn't be going back to school until after the New Year. As much as he tried to talk her into taking a break, Haley was used to working. She'd been doing it for so long.

Haley didn't tell Nathan, but part of the reason she was so eager to work at the café that morning was that she wanted to keep busy. She was nervous for him. She knew he would do well. She believed it completely. She just wasn't sure that he believed it. She had seen his confidence grow by leaps and bounds in the past few months. She knew he felt that confidence. She just worried that now that he was faced with the game that had been taken from him before he was ready that his confidence would win out.

She'd been chewing on her lower lip periodically throughout the morning. She had a busy day and she was grateful for that. After setting up the café and helping with the breakfast rush, she had to go to the club. She was meeting with the employees and was going to find out who was interested in working for her instead of Dan Scott.

She didn't have to worry, but before she got there and as she was walking up to the club, she was worried. They only knew her as the club's singer. Now, she was their boss. She felt some comfort seeing Julian approach the club at the same time she did. She knew she had at least him in her corner.

When the rest of the club's employees – bartenders, cigarette girls, coat check girls, and musicians – found out that Haley had inherited the club they all seemed surprised. They were all quick to agree to work for her though. It was something that Haley found surprising. The only trouble she ran into was when Chris suggested renaming the club Chris Keller's. Haley wasn't the only one who rolled her eyes at the suggestion. She also found out that Brooke had already had Julian ask several of them to work Nathan and Haley's party, which would be taking place the night before Christmas Eve. Haley assured them all that they would be compensated, but they told her that it had been taken care of.

Plans were tentatively set to re-open the club after the first of January. That was the earliest it could be done with the holidays coming up. They all also agreed that the first night they would host a benefit for the men going overseas. Haley left the club with Julian and she was feeling very pleased with her progress that morning.

However, the nerves she felt for Nathan were still there and she was glad that Julian attempted to keep the conversation flowing to distract her. He walked her all the way to the café, where he met with Brooke before the two headed off somewhere.

Haley spent the rest of the day busying herself by waiting tables. She checked the clock on the wall of the café constantly. She knew Karen noticed. Finally, after several hours of this, Karen even told her that everything would be fine and that looking at the clock wouldn't make it move any faster.

The lunch rush was just ending when Haley heard voices behind her. They were whispering, but Haley caught her name, Nathan's name, and the word baby. For the second time that day, Haley rolled her eyes. She put a fake smile on her face, not really caring if it seemed sincere, and faced Mrs. Hannon and Mrs. Crowley.

"How are you two ladies today?" Knowing how they liked their coffee, Haley poured them each a cup and placed the cream and sugar in front of them.

"We're fine, dear," Mrs. Hannon answered. "How is Nathan?"

"He's doing well. Today is his first day coaching at the school, so that's exciting."

"Well, it's good he has a job somewhere other than that wretched nightclub," Mrs. Crowley said pointedly. "No one should be working there. In fact, they should tear it down now that Mayor Scott is dead."

"Actually, I own it now," Haley informed them. "I plan on keeping it open."

"Haley," Mrs. Crowley's voice was laced with insincere concern, "that club is no place for children."

Haley knew exactly what the woman was getting at. She believed that Haley was pregnant. "Well, Nathan and I don't plan on having children just yet, so it's fine. Besides, now that I own the club, we'll be working on changing its image. We're going to begin by hosting a night just for the soldiers so they can have a night of fun before they go off to fight."

"No children just yet?" Mrs. Crowley's tone was slightly disbelieving.

"No. We love being married to each other and it has only been a week. We'd like to take some time for ourselves before expanding. Now, what can I get you two ladies for lunch? Your usual?" With that, Haley ended the discussion of her possible pregnancy. She hoped it would stop the rumors for good. She didn't need the two older women going around Tree Hill telling everyone that she and Nathan only got married because she was pregnant. Besides, nine months from then when everyone saw that they did not have a baby with them, they would all know. They would know that they got married simply because they loved each other and that's all that they needed. Love wasn't just enough; it was everything.

When Nathan did eventually walk into the café later that day Haley nearly jumped into his arms. She couldn't help herself after seeing the smile on his face. It was an honest, genuine smile and she could only guess that he'd had a good first day at work. She ignored the looks from the customers still in the café. She hugged him tightly. When she finally let go, he still held her close.

"You didn't even let me tell you how it went."

"You were smiling when you walked in. You're still smiling," she observed. "So, I just took a guess."

He removed his hat and, as was his habit, stuffed it into his back pocket. "It went well. The boys, they really seemed to listen to me. I was worried they wouldn't since I'm not even twenty yet. But, they listened to what I had to say. It was a little different being around all our old teachers. They seemed older than they did two years ago and they all kind of looked at me like… well, like they weren't sure why I was there."

"You'll win them over. They just have to see that you're not quite the guy you were in high school. You didn't take school seriously then, right?"

"Right. I didn't really take anything seriously except baseball."

Haley nodded. "You'll still take baseball seriously. But, you take a lot of other things seriously now too. Your family, your marriage. They just have to see that. Give them time. And, if they don't, I'll come down there and knock some sense into them."

"You're amazing, you know that?"

"I've heard it once or twice. You're amazing too. They'll see it. I promise."

* * *

><p>After Haley and Karen closed down the café, with some help from Nathan, the three went to Lucas and Peyton's for dinner where they met Keith. Lucas would be shipping out right after Christmas, so they were trying to spend time with him until he left while still giving he and Peyton the alone time that they needed. Tonight would be the night that Nathan and Haley shared what they knew about Cooper and Rachel. They agreed that Lucas, Peyton, Keith, and Karen would be the only ones who knew the full truth of what happened. No one else needed to know and Nathan and Haley weren't about to send Cooper and Rachel to prison for what happened. Dan had put everyone through enough.<p>

At dinner, Nathan and Haley explained what they had done and how they had gone about finding out who killed Dan and why they wanted to know. Nathan was aware that no one else besides he and Haley really cared who killed Dan. Mostly, they cared that Dan was dead. For them, that was the end of it. Nathan and Haley explained that they had done this for Deb.

No one else had expected that Tommy wasn't actually Dan's son or that Cooper had anything to do with Rachel. For the most part, they had done a good job of hiding their relationship. Nathan, Haley, and Dan were the only ones who had ever noticed anything going on between the two.

"I understand why you had to know, Nate," Keith said once Nathan and Haley had finished their story. "I understand and you're right; your mom deserved that. To be honest, I'm glad Danny knew that I was alive before he died. I'm also glad you told him that you knew what he did. If he were still alive, I might feel differently. I don't want you in any danger. But, since he is gone, I'm glad he went to his grave knowing that his secrets were out in the open. He deserved it. Your mom deserved for everyone to know the truth."

Nathan nodded. "Actually, that's something else that I want to talk to you all about. I'd like to talk to Mouth. On the record. I want him to know everything. It might get the sheriff in trouble, but I don't care about that. He can't do anything to me for being afraid of him when I was a seventeen year-old kid. Besides, maybe it'll help clean up Tree Hill a little now that Dan is gone."

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> Well, like I said, I'm not 100% happy with this. But, the mystery was never the main focus. Nathan and Haley were. So, I hope you enjoyed it and I'll have the epilogue up for you in a few days!


	30. A Great Life Epilogue

**Disclaimer:** One Tree Hill, Nathan, Haley, and the rest of the characters belong to Warner Bros., The CW, Mark Schwahn, and the rest of the producers. They are not mine.

**Note:** Well, this is it. The end. I mean it every time I thank you for sticking with me and I still mean it. I know asking you to read something that has a more historical background can be asking a lot and I know that my little break recently didn't help. So, those of you who stuck with it through the end, thank you!

* * *

><p>The house was warm. The fire crackling carried warmth throughout the entire house. On the mantle hung three stockings. Two of them had names carefully stitched on them. In the corner of the living room was a six foot pine tree, decorated with strands of popcorn and candy canes and an assortment of other ornaments. A star sat perched on the top as if it was guarding the gifts that were underneath the tree. Each box was carefully wrapped and tied together with a bow. Outside on the wraparound porch were hung wreaths made of pine.<p>

Nathan wiped his feet on the welcome mat, carrying an armload of firewood with him. He walked into the house, which was filled with friends and family spending Christmas together. Seated near the tree was his wife. She was glowing and it had nothing to do with the fire casting a light throughout the room. She got more beautiful every day.

Nathan looked around. They had moved into the house three months after they had gotten married. They had fallen in love with it instantly. It had four bedrooms, an upstairs deck, and a wraparound porch with a swing on it. In the front was a garden and during the spring there were an assortment of flowers throughout. They had taken their time decorating it and filling it with furniture, wanting to make sure that everything was just right and that their home truly was their home.

Now, they had been married for two years. In Nathan's opinion, those two years had been nothing short of perfect. He had been coaching the Ravens and teaching physical education now for two years. Last spring, in his second year of coaching, the Ravens had even made it to the playoffs. They didn't make it to the championship game, but they had come close. It had all been enough to further prove to the rest of the teachers and faculty at Tree Hill High that Nathan belonged there and that he was serious about his job.

This was the first Christmas where this many people had a chance to come. Lucas was still overseas. He was somewhere in Europe and had been fighting for two years. Peyton missed him terribly, but was spending her time helping Haley manage Chris Keller at the club.

A few months back, Julian had been drafted into the Navy. Now, he was off in the Pacific. Brooke had been a wreck when she found out, but she stayed strong when she was around Julian. Before he left, he had proposed to her. He promised that nothing was going to stop him from coming home and marrying her. They wrote each other every single day. With the mail being as it was, that meant that some days they didn't get a letter, but on other days they would get two. It helped both Brooke and Peyton that they could live together. It made life seem somehow less lonely.

Haley had enrolled at Tree Hill College and had been attending for nearly two years. She was at the top of her class and was doing well. It wouldn't be long before she finished school and would be ready to start looking for work teaching English. Nathan loved watching her while she studied. She was so focused. Her lip would sneak out between her lips, she would scribble her notes furiously and somehow they would still come out legible. In fact, her writing was clear and perfectly readable. Nathan would look down on her notes, helping her clear things away and would compare it with his chicken scratch which only Haley seemed to be able to read.

She was on break from school now, though. She would be for a while. Nathan couldn't stop the smile on his lips as he watched her with Vivian and Jane. On the sofa were Ned, his wife, and their kids. Her brothers, Seth and Eli, were both in the military and had shipped out. It was difficult spending Christmas without them, but they weren't the only ones going through the same situation. Families all across the country had sons, brothers, and husbands thousands of miles away in either the Pacific or Europe.

Karen, Keith, and Lily were sitting at a small table. Karen and Keith were watching their daughter, now five years-old, coloring a Christmas tree. The three had been nearly inseparable in the past two years since Keith's return.

Nathan looked at the mantle. Right above the stockings were a series of cards they'd received from loved ones, friends, and family. One was from Cooper, Rachel, and Tommy. They'd sent one every year since they'd left Tree Hill. Whenever Nathan and Haley got one, they were even more certain that they'd done the right thing. The three of them seemed so happy.

Right before Mouth left for basic training, Nathan had given him an exclusive interview. Nathan told Mouth everything that had happened the night his mother died. The interview was published in the local paper with no thought to any consequences from the sheriff. The sheriff, in light of the interview, had quietly stepped down from his position. Nathan felt some satisfaction knowing that. The man had never done his job.

Nathan went to the fireplace and set the wood down on the rack. He took off his coat and gloves and took them to the coat rack near the door before returning to Haley. He sat on the arm of the chair where she was sitting and put his arm around her shoulders, massaging them gently.

"How are you?"

"I'm great. You?"

"You know I'm great. You know I have to ask about you."

"I do know. I love you."

"I love you too." Nathan turned his attention to Vivian and Jane. Vivian was the James sibling who he knew best. She and Jane made frequent trips to Tree Hill. With Charlie still overseas, she liked keeping close to Haley. Vivian and Jane had been in Tree Hill for over a week now, arriving well before the other James siblings – Taylor and Quinn were also there. Nathan liked that Vivian was there for Haley. Brooke and Peyton had also been spending a lot of time with her recently while Nathan was at work. Nathan knew that they couldn't stop Haley from studying, but they still came over to spend time with her.

Christmas dinner had ended about an hour earlier. Karen, Peyton, Brooke, and Quinn had all gathered together to wash the dishes, giving Haley a break from all the work she had kept trying to do. Instead, they insisted that she plop herself down in the chair near the fire and relax and enjoy Christmas with her family.

Nathan continued to sit where he was, not bothering to move elsewhere where he might be more comfortable. He kept massaging Haley's shoulders and he felt her tense. It wasn't the first time she had done it. He noticed that the moments when she would tense were coming with more frequency and he looked down at her, concerned. He could see that she was trying not to wince. She may have been able to hide it from the others, but she couldn't hide it from him. She could hide nothing from him.

He leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head. "What's going on?" His voice was barely a whisper, but he knew that she heard it. She looked up at him, taking her lip between her teeth. "What is it, Hales?"

"I didn't want to say anything until I was sure. I didn't want to interrupt everyone's Christmas. It's been going on since this morning."

"What?" Nathan began to panic. He knew Haley could see the panic on his face.

"I think it's time. I'm sure it's time. They're three minutes apart, Nathan. I've been timing them for the past hour."

Nathan sat there in shock. He knew that this was a possibility. Everyone knew that it was possible. It was one of the reasons they had all decided that having Christmas in Tree Hill was for the best. It was why Vivian, Brooke, and Peyton had been so attentive to Haley lately, trying to get her to relax.

Like a bolt of lightning, he stood up and nodded his head. "Okay. I'll go get the car. We'll go to the hospital. We'll be okay. It's fine."

"I don't think there's time, Nathan. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Nathan. I didn't mean for this to happen."

"It's okay. It's okay, Hales. You and me, we were born at home, right? We can do this here. I'll just go run to the Doc's house and get him. I'll be as fast as I can, Hales."

"No." She grabbed his arm, her grip tight as another contraction went through her body. "Don't leave."

Nathan nodded and then looked at all of their guests. They really did have a full house. He looked over at his Uncle Keith and made a decision. "I'll be less than a minute. I promise." Nathan went to Keith and quietly pulled him aside. Haley watched as Nathan explained what was happening. Keith nodded in understanding, a broad smile on his face as he glanced over at Haley. Quickly, he was telling Karen that he needed to head out for a bit and would be back. He was out the door and Nathan was back at Haley's side.

"Vivian," Nathan said, "could you help us get Haley upstairs?"

"Sure." Vivian looked to Jane, who had gone to her Aunt Quinn and Aunt Taylor. Vivian didn't ask any questions. She would wait until they were upstairs. For now, she helped Nathan get Haley out of her chair and they led her upstairs. They went unnoticed by everyone except for Karen. Karen suggested that Lily go play with Aunt Brooke and Peyton and then headed upstairs.

Once upstairs, Haley dropped the pretense of being fine. She didn't have to now. This was happening now, whether she was ready or not. When she and Nathan had found out that they were expecting, they had been both elated and terrified. They knew it could happen from the first night that they were together. They had been married for over a year when it finally did happen. Now, they were about to be parents. They were twenty-one years-old.

Karen had been a big help when Haley told her about the baby. Karen had been there when she was even younger than Haley and Karen also knew that Haley had a support system around her that she hadn't had herself. She knew that Haley was more than prepared to be a mother and Nathan was more than prepared to be a father. They just needed to be convinced of it themselves.

When Keith had told her that he needed to head out for a bit, Karen had a feeling that she knew what it was about. When she saw Haley, she knew that she was right. Now, she watched as Nathan gently lifted his extremely pregnant wife and placed her in the center of their bed after Vivian had turned it down. Karen didn't say anything. She went downstairs to the kitchen and retrieved some water and from the hall closet, she retrieved some towels. She was coming back upstairs when Vivian was coming down the hall. They shared a look. Vivian had been going to get the exact same things that Karen had brought.

When the two women walked back in the room, they found Nathan sitting next to Haley on the bed, holding her closely and whispering in her ear. Haley was nodding and was trying to smile through the pain. She thought she might feel at ease when she didn't have to hide the pain of the contractions anymore, but that wasn't the case. The fact that she didn't have to hold in the pain didn't bring any relief.

In a flurry of activity, Karen went downstairs and announced to everyone that Haley was having the baby. The doctor arrived soon after that with Keith. Everyone was asking what they could do. They were all told to simply wait. None of them were willing to leave. As crowded as the house was and as much as they didn't want to be in Haley and Nathan's way, they didn't want to leave. Brooke and Peyton even headed upstairs to wait with Nathan in the hall as Vivian and Karen were in with her and Dr. Durham.

When Dr. Durham had arrived, he told them that Haley was right; there wasn't enough time for the hospital and the baby would be arriving soon. He got everything ready and was now just waiting for Haley to be completely ready.

Peyton and Brooke had set three chairs in the hallway near the door to Nathan and Haley's bedroom. They each sat on either side of Nathan, who wasn't saying thing. He loosened his collar, unbuttoning the top button. His knee was bouncing up and down and he was unable to sit still. He remembered the day that Haley told him that he was going to be a father. He had been stunned, but he couldn't remember ever being happier. The day that their child would arrive seemed so far away, but also so close. Now it was here. It was only a small matter of time. Soon, he would be hearing his child crying and he and Haley would have a child of their own. A child who existed because he and Haley loved each other so much.

He stood up from his chair and began pacing the hallway. Brooke and Peyton eyed him. They had both been so excited when Haley told them that she was having a baby. They had been there with her through every step of the pregnancy. It was an easy decision when Haley and Nathan decided that Brooke should be their baby's godmother.

Nathan stopped pacing when he heard Haley cry out. He went to the door, but Brooke stopped him.

"Dr. Durham knows what he's doing," she said. "She'll be fine. If something's wrong, they will let you know. Babies are born every day, Nathan."

He nodded, but didn't say a word. It was killing him to know that his wife was in pain and he wasn't there with her to hold her hand. He didn't resume his pacing. Instead, he stood planted by the door, just waiting. He placed his fingers to the door, just wanting to be closer to Haley no matter what. He thought about how much he loved her and how happy she had made him in the past two years.

He heard another scream and this time he didn't let anyone stop him. He couldn't stand on the other side of a door while his wife was screaming in pain. He barged in, startling Vivian, Karen, and the doctor.

"Nathan, you should be out there," Vivian told him.

"No, I should be in here." He went to his wife's side and sat next to her on their bed. He took her hand in his and wrapped his other arm around her shoulders. Haley buried her head in his chest.

"I'm glad you're here," she said. "I didn't want to do this without you."

"Well, one of you is going to have to leave," Dr. Durham ordered. Karen offered to leave and quietly walked out of the room, leaving Vivian on one side of Haley and Nathan on the other.

"How are you?" Nathan asked.

"It hurts," Haley cried.

"You're doing just fine, Hales. You can do this. You're stronger than anyone I've ever met. You can do this."

"I need you to push, Haley. A few more ought to do it," Dr. Durham told her. "Go ahead. Your husband's right; you're a strong woman. I knew that since the moment you were born. You were so stubborn then, you almost refused to come out."

Haley nodded and tightened her grip on Nathan's hand. She pushed, letting out a guttural scream as she did so.

"There's the head," the doctor said. "One more big push, Haley. One more."

Haley nodded and Nathan kissed her forehead. She pushed again and this time when she screamed, it wasn't in pain or discomfort. She screamed out of relief. She could feel the baby leave her body and all of the stress that she felt left. She felt her shoulders slack and she tried to catch her breath.

Both Nathan and Haley looked up when they heard the baby crying. They both looked up, trying to see.

"Congratulations. You two have a son." The doctor pulled something from his bag and handed it to Nathan, indicating for him to cut the cord. Nathan nodded and did so. The doctor and Vivian took some of the blankets and Vivian began helping the doctor to clean the baby up before handing him to Nathan and Haley.

Both Nathan and Haley had tears streaming down their faces as they looked at their son for the first time. He was crying; his little legs and arms were squirming. He was placed in Haley's arms and continued to cry before opening his eyes and looking at his parents.

Nathan and Haley had matching smiles on their faces as they held their son. Nathan sat closer to Haley, his arm wrapping around her more securely. He tentatively brought a hand to his son, nervous to actually touch the baby. This was his son that he was seeing. He never thought that such a thing was possible until he met Haley. After that, it wasn't just possible – it was probable. Now, here they were. He and Haley had created a family together when they got married two years earlier. Now, they had added to their family. They had never felt such love for each other or for anyone else.

"You're a daddy," Haley said to Nathan, taking her eyes away from their son to look at her husband. She had never seen him look at something with such a look of awe in his eyes.

"You did so good, Hales. You were perfect. I love you so much." He kissed her, tasting the salt from both her tears and her sweat.

"I love you too. I love you, Nathan."

"We… we have a son," he said, overcome with emotion.

"James Lucas Scott," Haley said. It was the name they had decided on a couple of months earlier if they ended up having a boy. Nathan had thought of naming their son after Haley's father. She had fallen even more in love with him when he suggested it. Lucas was her idea. Though she and her best friend weren't as close as they used to be, she still gave Lucas a lot of credit for bringing Nathan into her life. Lucas had helped get Nathan away from Tree Hill and away from Dan and that allowed Nathan to become the man he was now, the man she loved so much. He was the man who had given her a son and who she knew would be an amazing father.

"James Lucas Scott," Nathan repeated. "Our boy. Our James."

"I'll give you two some alone time," Vivian said. They had both forgotten that there were two other people in the room. "Besides, I think that there are a lot of people downstairs who want to know that there's a new Scott in the world tonight."

Vivian left them with Dr. Durham. The doctor took care of a few more things. He made sure that Haley and the baby were fine. He left them with a specific set of instructions and told them that he would be by to see them again in the morning to check on Haley and the youngest Scott.

As Dr. Durham left the house, he felt a sense of peace. He was so happy that Nathan Scott, the young man he saw going down a dangerous road thanks to his father, had found something – someone – to love after he lost his dream. Nathan had found a dream that he loved more than he loved baseball and now that dream was getting bigger.

Dr. Durham had been the one to deliver both Nathan and Haley when they were born and it wasn't lost on him that he had now brought their child into the world. It felt as if things had come full circle. He wished that stubborn Haley James Scott had told someone earlier that she was having her baby, but he wasn't surprised. She fought him on coming out twenty-one years earlier. She would always do things her way and somehow, that way always seemed to work out for the best.

Everyone downstairs was in a great mood when Vivian came downstairs and announced that Nathan and Haley had a son. No one made any attempts to go upstairs and visit. They wouldn't be doing that. They would wait for later. For now, everyone was content with letting the family upstairs get acquainted with one another.

Upstairs, Nathan and Haley were still in their room holding their son, just staring at him. The boy was now content in his mother's arms. Nathan was still slightly afraid to even touch him. This didn't go unnoticed by Haley.

"Nathan, hold your son."

"I… I don't want to hurt him."

"You won't. You couldn't." Haley moved to hand their son to Nathan. He cradled the baby in his arms. He was still terrified, but he knew he could do this. Haley knew he could do this.

Nathan felt something change within him when he held his son in his arms. It was more than he could have ever imagined. In his arms was the living embodiment of the fact that he and Haley loved each other. James was proof that Haley loved him. Haley curled her arm around his and watched her two boys together. Her parents would be so happy for her and they would be so happy with their grandson.

"Three years-ago, I didn't know this was possible, Haley. I didn't know I'd ever be a father. Then you came along. I promise you I will protect him. I will never push him into being something he doesn't want to be or doing something that he doesn't want to do. I'll never make him feel like he's less than he is. I love him, Hales. I'll always love him."

Haley wiped the tears from her face. "I know that, Nathan. I know that. You're going to be a wonderful father. The fact that you want these things for him… you're already a great father. I love you. Thank you for giving me a great life."

"Thank you for giving me a great life, Hales. You've given me everything."

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> The next story, _I Love You, but I Don't Know What to Say_ should be posted in a couple of weeks. There's a description in my profile if you're curious.


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